The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said President John Dramani Mahama has directed his appointees to expedite work on the labour mobility agreements with eight countries to enable Ghana export nurses and other professionals to Jamaica, Germany, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, and Bulgaria where their services are in high demand.

According to Mr Ablakwa Ghana currently has labour mobility agreements with eight countries and this will help facilitate the movement of trained nurses to nations where their expertise are in high demand.

The agreements are with Jamaica, Germany, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, and Bulgaria.

Speaking at the Conference of Heads of Missions and Orientation Programme for newly appointed envoys in Accra on Monday, [September 1, 2025], Mr Ablakwa noted concerns about the large number of qualified nurses who have completed their training but remain at home due to delays in financial clearance.

He stressed that it was illogical to keep skilled professionals idle when there is already a global demand for their services and Ghana has met the United Nations’ recommended nurse-to-population ratio.

Mr Ablakwa further highlighted the broader unemployment challenge in Ghana, which currently stands at 18.7 per cent, adding that President John Dramani Mahama has directed that the agreements be fast-tracked to create more opportunities for health professionals while reducing joblessness.

“President Mahama says that we should really expedite work on this labour mobility agreement, and he set up a team that is retraining, offering certification so that they can be able to fit into the national market. That is going very, very well so far as this is concerned,” he stated.

The initiative, he explained, is also designed to ensure that nurses adapt to the evolving needs of both the domestic and international labour markets, thereby enhancing their employability at home and abroad.