GHANA SIGNS MOU WITH CITY OF COLUMBUS TO ESTABLISH NURSING PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME

Ghana and the City of Columbus have signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the Ghana-Columbus Nursing Partnership Programme, a healthcare initiative aimed at advancing nursing education, expanding workforce development and creating legal pathways for Ghanaian nurses to enter Ohio’s growing healthcare market.

The agreement was signed at the Michael B. Coleman Government Center by Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther, Ghana’s Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, and Ghana’s Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum.

STRENGTHENING GLOBAL BONDS

The partnership builds on a Sister-City agreement established between Columbus and Greater Accra in 2015.

Mayor Ginther described Columbus as one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States and expressed enthusiasm about the mutual benefits of the people-to-people exchange.

“Ghana has made significant investment in training nursing professionals who can migrate legally to enter a ready market in Columbus,” Mayor Ginther noted during the ceremony.

MORE THAN MIGRATION

Hon. Akandoh emphasised that the agreement extends beyond labour migration, describing the MoU as a strategic platform for mutual skills transfer among medical professionals, institutional strengthening for healthcare facilities, joint research collaborations, health innovations and improved patient health outcomes globally.

Hon. Agyekum praised the resilience of Ghana’s workforce, noting that the framework could serve as a blueprint for replication in other U.S. states.

A CALL TO ACTION

Ambassador Mrs Jane Gasu Aheto, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Ghana in Washington, D.C., praised the Ghanaian diaspora in Columbus for helping drive the initiative.

She stressed that the agreement “must not remain a piece of paper, but must be a living, breathing programme that changes lives.” The partnership was facilitated through the joint efforts of Buckeye Africa Exchange, StrideHx and Columbus Sister Cities International.