Garden City University Proposes ‘Nurse Practitioner’ Project to Tackle Nurse Unemployment
Garden City University College is developing a new initiative called the “Nurse Practitioner” project to address the growing problem of trained nurses remaining unemployed after graduation.
The plan was outlined on May 8, 2026, when the university’s management introduced new Vice Chancellor Eric Kwesi Ofori to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the Manhyia Palace.
Professor Ellis Owusu-Dabo said many nurses trained by the university are forced to stay at home for months, sometimes years, while waiting for government clearance to be posted to health facilities.
“Our current challenge is that after training our nurses, they remain home until the government gives clearance for their employment, and by which time they may have forgotten what they did,” he said.
To prevent this skills loss, the university intends to deploy graduates directly into communities under the Nurse Practitioner programme.
“We intend to introduce what we call the Nurse Practitioner, so that they move from home to home to offer medical services to our mothers, fathers, and children,” Professor Owusu-Dabo explained.
He added that the university is in discussions with the Ghana Tertiary Accreditation Commission to secure accreditation for the programme.
The proposal comes as Garden City University marks 25 years since its establishment and prepares to build a 100-bed teaching hospital to train doctors and physician assistants.
Otumfuo commended the university for its contribution to training health professionals and urged the institution to maintain its focus on practical solutions to national challenges.
“The university has trained many people who are serving the country. Continue to dedicate yourselves,” he said.
The Nurse Practitioner project, if approved, would allow graduates to provide basic community health services while awaiting formal posting, helping to bridge gaps in primary healthcare delivery in underserved areas.
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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