Ghana and the City of Columbus in Ohio have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the Ghana-Columbus Nursing Partnership Programme, aimed at strengthening nursing education, workforce development and healthcare collaboration between the two sides.

The agreement was signed at the Michael B. Coleman Government Center in Columbus on September 14, 2026, by Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther, Ghana’s Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, and the Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum.

The programme will also create formal pathways for qualified Ghanaian nurses to legally enter Ohio’s growing healthcare workforce.

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

Mayor Ginther described Columbus as one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States and welcomed the opportunity to deepen people-to-people exchanges between Ghana and the city.

“Ghana has made significant investment in training nursing professionals who can migrate legally to enter a ready market in Columbus,” he said.

Mr Akandoh stressed that the agreement goes beyond facilitating the migration of Ghanaian nurses, describing it as a strategic platform for broader healthcare cooperation.

According to him, the partnership will support mutual skills transfer among medical professionals, strengthen healthcare institutions, promote joint research and health innovation, and contribute to improved patient health outcomes globally.

Mr Agyekum, meanwhile, praised the resilience of Ghana’s workforce and said the framework could serve as a blueprint for similar partnerships in other US states.

Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Ghana in Washington, DC, Ambassador Jane Gasu Aheto, commended the Ghanaian diaspora in Columbus for helping drive the initiative.

She urged stakeholders to ensure the agreement translates into tangible outcomes.

“The agreement must not remain a piece of paper, but must be a living, breathing programme that changes lives,” she said.

The partnership was facilitated through the joint efforts of Buckeye Africa Exchange, StrideHx and Columbus Sister Cities International.