The Ministry of Defence has dismissed reports alleging that House Officers and Interns at Armed Forces Reference Hospitals have not been paid their allowances, insisting that payment of outstanding entitlements is already underway. In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Richard Pheelangwah, the ministry described the reports as false.……
The Ministry of Defence has dismissed reports alleging that House Officers and Interns at Armed Forces Reference Hospitals have not been paid their allowances, insisting that payment of outstanding entitlements is already underway.
In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Richard Pheelangwah, the ministry described the reports as false.
“The Ministry of Defence has noted reports alleging the non-payment of allowances to House Officers and Interns at Armed Forces Reference Hospitals. These claims are inaccurate. Payment of outstanding allowances has commenced,” the statement read.
The ministry disclosed that Batches A and B received their January and February 2026 allowances on March 26, followed by March allowances on April 30.
It added that on July 8, Batches A and B were paid their April 2026 allowances, while Batch C received payments covering December 2025 and January 2026.
“Efforts are ongoing to clear the remaining arrears as additional funds become available,” the ministry stated.
Explaining the reason for the delay, the ministry said it stemmed from a lack of budgetary provision rather than administrative shortcomings.
“The delay is attributable to the absence of budgetary allocation for the payment of these allowances since January 2026 and not to any administrative lapse on the part of the Ministry,” it said.
According to the statement, the Ministry had formally notified the Budget Office of the Federation of the funding gap through official correspondence dated February 18 and July 1, 2026, requesting urgent intervention.
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The ministry said 703 House Officers and Interns were engaged under the 2025/2026 House Officers and Interns Programme, noting that Batches A and B had now been paid up to April 2026, while Batch C, comprising 90 House Officers and Interns, had received allowances for December 2025 and January 2026.
It attributed the outstanding arrears to the omission of funding for the programme in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
“The outstanding arrears arose because no budgetary provision was made for the House Officers and Interns Programme in the 2026 Appropriation Act. This is an unprecedented development and the first occurrence since the inception of the programme,” the statement added.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to resolving the funding challenge and appealed for patience from those affected.
“The Ministry remains fully committed to resolving the funding challenge and appreciates the patience, understanding, and dedication of the affected House Officers, Interns, and their families,” it said.
It also urged the public to disregard misinformation.
“Members of the public are advised to disregard misleading reports and rely only on official communications issued by the Ministry of Defence,” the statement concluded.