Ghana, Grenada sign pact for nurse recruitments
A new agreement between Ghana and Grenada is set to open up pathways for Ghanaian healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, to take up employment in the Caribbean island nation, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Health Cooperation.
The pact was sealed yesterday when President John Dramani Mahama hosted the Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Amiss Thomas Mitchell, at the Jubilee House for bilateral talks and a state luncheon.
Prime Minister Mitchell arrived in the country with a delegation last Thursday for a two-day official visit.
The MoU, titled “Recruitment of Ghanaian Nurses for the State of Grenada” was signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and the Grenadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development, Joseph Andall. President Mahama and Prime Minister Mitchell witnessed the signing ceremony.
The MoU, which underscores a shared commitment to people-centred development, was a key highlight of the discussions aimed at strengthening the longstanding relations between the two nations.
Commitment
President Mahama gave an assurance of Ghana's dedication to ensuring the agreement yielded tangible results.
He stated, "Ghana is committed to the implementation of this accord," signalling the government's resolve to swiftly operationalise the new healthcare partnership.
"In the health sector, Grenada's interest in recruiting Ghanaian nurses and allied health professionals presents a valuable opportunity for structured collaboration,” he said.
President Mahama highlighted the international reputation of Ghanaian health workers for their "professionalism and their compassion", and expressed Ghana's keenness "to explore arrangements that address both our national needs and Grenada's health priorities."
UN motion
The President further used the platform to issue a clarion call to Grenada and other nations across the Caribbean and Africa to rally behind Ghana's bid to lay a motion at the United Nations next year, seeking global recognition of slavery as one of the greatest crimes against humanity.
"At the UN General Assembly this year, I stated that Ghana intends to file a motion at the United Nations next year to declare slavery as one of the greatest crimes against humanity."
He directly called for support, adding, "Mr Prime Minister, I know I can count on your support and the support of our colleagues in the Caribbean and the African Union to support this motion."
Acknowledging Grenada's longstanding advocacy on the world stage, President Mahama noted, "Grenada has long been a brave voice in the course."
He expressed confidence that their support would be pivotal in building a formidable coalition for the anticipated UN resolution.
President Mahama positioned the motion as a shared imperative for the African diaspora, saying it was a necessary step for historical justice and a unified future.
Meanwhile, the President identified a major practical hurdle to deeper integration and proposed a solution.
"One significant barrier continues to hinder our cooperation, and that is the lack of direct air connectivity between the Caribbean and Africa."
He said that was not only a mere inconvenience but it was a "strategic necessity," asserting that "creating direct air links between Ghana and the Caribbean would unleash significant opportunities for trade, tourism, culture and education between our peoples."
In his address at the state luncheon, Prime Minister Mitchell emphasised the historical and cultural bonds linking Grenada and the entire Caribbean to Africa, which was declared the "sixth region" by the African Union.
"As we remember the tragedy of our past, we use it as inspiration to build a new and deliberate bridge that promises prosperity, unity, and economic empowerment for future generations of Africans both in Africa and in the Caribbean," the Prime Minister stated.
Mr Mitchell stated that the new agreements, including the one on healthcare, were a testimony to a deliberate effort to move bilateral relations forward for the benefit of both peoples.
The Prime Minister, who arrived in Accra on Thursday with a high-level delegation, also used the platform to advocate passionately for reparations for the transatlantic slave trade, describing it as "perhaps the most human crime that has been committed against humanity."
Looking to the future, he outlined ambitious plans for enhanced connectivity, revealing ongoing conversations with Ethiopian Airlines to establish direct flights between the African continent and the Caribbean.
"Our music, our food, our culture, and the vibrancy of our people speak for themselves.
And if you are in Grenada, you will feel just at home as if you are in Africa," he stated, highlighting the potential for growth in tourism and people-to-people exchanges.
The Grenadian Premier paid glowing tribute to a Ghanaian, known as Sister Margaret, whom he hailed as a shining example of the positive impact of bilateral cooperation.
For the past 15 years, he said, Sister Margaret had been the Principal of the New Life Organisation, Grenada's premier institution for technical and vocational education.
"Anything she asks of me, I try and deliver because I see the commitment and the change that she's made in the lives of so many young men and women in Grenada," Prime Minister Mitchell said, adding that her work was "testimony to what bilateral relations can do, testimony to what the movement of people can do."
State visit
The visit, which included the first Ghana-Grenada Political Consultation Meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last Thursday, builds upon previous bilateral agreements on visa waivers and cooperation in Culture, Trade and Education signed in 2024.
The two countries, as part of the inaugural session, held discussions on strengthening collaboration in priority areas of mutual interest such as “health, education, and skills development, trade and investment, tourism and culture, climate change, and disaster management, as well as multilateral engagements”.
The Political-Consultation was co-chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and his counterpart from Grenada.
Strategic cooperation
On health cooperation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said, “We particularly welcome tremendous interest in recruiting Ghanaian experts and allied health professionals, and look forward to signing the Memorandum of Understanding on Health Cooperation, which serves as the framework for this bilateral cooperation”.
On education and skills development, Mr Ablakwa said the government acknowledged the challenges faced by some Ghanaian students studying in Grenada under the scholarships that they received, and wished to assure that efforts were ongoing to address these concerns.
He said the country also recognised the immense potential for collaboration in the education sector, as well as in the juggling ages between universities and training institutions in Ghana and Grenada.
Such cooperation, according to him, would cover areas including medical and health sciences, e-education, vocational training, and academic exchange programmes aimed at building human capital and promoting public sharing between countries.
