Ohio Senator Questions Columbus Mayor Over Ghana Nursing Agreement

Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) sent a letter to Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther on Wednesday criticizing a recent memorandum of understanding with Ghana that promotes a joint nursing program. The senator argued that the city is directing public resources toward overseas recruitment instead of investing in Ohio's domestic workforce.

The specific funding under scrutiny is a $225,000 grant approved by the Columbus City Council for the 2026 general fund. This money was allocated to Greater Columbus Sister Cities International to support exchanges among the city's ten sister cities, including Accra. Moreno described this amount as a fraction of the approximately $8.3 million in taxpayer dollars he said Ginther has spent on noncitizens and foreign governments since taking office.

The agreement was signed in September between Columbus officials and their Ghanaian counterparts. The document, known as the Ghana-Columbus Nursing Partnership Programme, is designed to strengthen nursing education and create legal pathways for qualified Ghanaian nurses to enter Ohio's healthcare system. The partnership aims to expand workforce development and establish a strategic platform for mutual skills transfer and joint research collaborations.

Moreno contends that the deal risks replacing American nurses with lower-cost foreign labor. He suggested that the public funds should instead be used to expand enrollment and training capacity at Ohio colleges and universities. In his letter, the senator stated that he was disappointed the city chose to recruit overseas rather than support local institutions, which he believes would generate high-earning job opportunities for younger generations.

The controversy has drawn attention from political figures and social media users. Conservative commentator Mehek Cooke posted on X asking why tax dollars are not funding nursing scholarships for Ohioans. Policy analyst Parker Thayer cited a previous case involving a homecare nurse from Ghana who allegedly stole from Medicaid, using the incident to question the mayor's push for more foreign nurses.

Mayor Ginther's office did not provide new comment for this article. However, a press release from the government of Ghana noted Ginther's remarks from the signing ceremony. He said that Ghana has made a substantial investment in training nursing professionals who can migrate legally to enter the Columbus market.

Ghanaian officials emphasized that the agreement extends beyond simple labor migration. They described the memorandum as a tool for institutional strengthening, health innovations, and global improvement of patient health outcomes. Moreno concluded his letter by urging the mayor to reallocate the public dollars toward area colleges and universities to improve patient care and support local students.