Ghana, Columbus city sign nursing partnership agreement – Ghanaian nurses to work in Ohio

Kwabena Mintah Akandoh (seated 2nd from right), Minister of Health, with Andrew J. Ginther (middle), Columbus Mayor, and other dignitaries after the signing ceremony

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Juliet Akyaa Safo

Sep – 16 – 2026 , 12:57

2 minutes read

**Ghana and the City of Columbus, the capital of Ohio State, have launched a landmark healthcare initiative to advance nursing education and expand workforce development. **

The two sides signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Michael B. Coleman Government Centre in the United States of America (USA) to establish the Ghana-Columbus Nursing Partnership Programme.

The initiative aims to formalise legal pathways for Ghanaian nurses to enter the growing Ohio State healthcare market.

The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, and the Minister of Labour, Jobs and Employment, Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, signed on behalf of Ghana, with the Mayor of Columbus, Andrew J. Ginther, signing on behalf of the city.

The historic partnership was facilitated through the joint efforts of Buckeye Africa Exchange – a non-profit organisation that connects the state of Ohio with nations across the African continent – StrideHx, a health support organisation and Columbus Sister Cities International.

Strengthening bonds

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

Mayor Ginther highlighted Columbus as one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, expressing enthusiasm for the mutual benefit 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,” Mr Ginther stated during the signing ceremony.

More than migration

Mr AkandoH emphasised that the agreement extended far beyond simple labour migration and stated that the MoU served as a strategic platform for mutual skills transfer between medical professionals.

It will also ensure institutional strengthening for healthcare facilities, joint research collaborations and health innovations and global improvement of patient health outcomes.

Mr Agyekum praised the resilience of Ghana’s workforce, stating that the specific framework could soon serve as a blueprint for replication in other US states.

Call to action

The Deputy Head of Mission at the Ghana Embassy in Washington, D.C., Jane Gasu Aheto, commended the Ghanaian diaspora in Columbus for driving the initiative.

She stressed that the agreement “must not remain a piece of paper, but must be a living, breathing programme that changes lives.”