Nursing, Midwifery Council implements new fees beginning Wednesday - Foreign verification still under review

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (N&MC) will implement new fees with effect from Wednesday, May 21, 2024.

They are foreign verification, examination fees for various courses and related charges, acquisition of personal identification numbers (PINs) and their renewals, registration and licensing, and accreditation for training institutions among others.

However, the council clarified that the foreign verification remains GH¢550 as the new figure of GH¢3,000 approved in March this year remains under review until further notice. A statement issued by the Governing Board of the council on March 15 this year confirmed that a decision had been made to implement the newly approved fees, except that of the foreign verification.

“The effective date for the revocation and implementation of the newly approved fees (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations, 2024 (L.I 2481) is Wednesday, May 22, 2024,” the statement read.

The N&MC gave the assurance that it remained dedicated to upholding the highest standards of training and practices of nursing and midwifery for the benefit of the public.

Background

The N&MC had suspended newly approved fees that took effect from March 1 this year. The fees included foreign verification which increased from GH¢550 to GH¢3,000. This was after Parliament announced a significant increase in the cost of foreign verification from GH¢550 to GH¢3,000, representing a 445.45 per cent rise.

The Governing Board of the Council decided to halt the implementation of the newly approved fees at its meeting in March this year, pending its review. The council explained that the decision to suspend the fees followed discussions with relevant stakeholders regarding their concerns.

Checks by the Daily Graphic indicated that the council had not revised its fees for so many years. Having raised the fees, particularly that of verification, it, however, had to suspend them because of backlash from some members who expressed concern about the sudden astronomical increase.