Sen. Moreno Tells Columbus's Mayor to Spend on Ohio Nursing Students, Not Recruiting Nurses From Ghana
Fox News reports Moreno's letter cites $225,000 in city funds. The mayor's office says no city money is committed to the nursing program and calls the criticism a conspiracy theory.
An Ohio Republican senator is pressing a big-city mayor over a nursing agreement with an African country, Fox News reports in a first-on-Fox story.
The letter. Sen. Bernie Moreno wrote to Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther on Wednesday, saying the city "chose to direct $225,000 in public dollars towards recruiting nurses from overseas." He called that "only a fraction" of roughly $8.3 million in taxpayer money he says the mayor has spent on noncitizens and foreign governments since taking office. "You were elected to serve the citizens of Columbus, not the citizens of Ghana," he wrote.
The agreement. In September, the city and Ghanaian officials signed a memorandum of understanding creating the Ghana-Columbus Nursing Partnership Programme. It aims to strengthen nursing education, expand workforce development and create legal pathways for qualified Ghanaian nurses to work in Ohio. Moreno argues the deal could replace American nurses with cheaper foreign labor and push down wages. He wants the money spent expanding enrollment and training capacity at Ohio colleges and universities.
The money. The $225,000 Moreno cites was approved by the city council as a 2026 general fund grant to Greater Columbus Sister Cities International. The ordinance says it supports business, government, cultural, educational and environmental exchanges among the city's 10 sister cities, including Accra, Ghana, plus the group's staffing and administrative costs.
The city's answer. A spokesperson for Ginther said Moreno is "fanning the flames of conspiracy theories" and that no city funding is being used or committed to the nursing initiative. The office says no part of the 2026 grant pays for staff time, travel or events tied to it, and that the program is employer-driven and guarantees no job to any nurse. Ginther said at the signing that Ghana has trained nursing professionals who can migrate legally to enter a ready market in Columbus.
Note for readers: the $8.3 million figure is Moreno's and we have not checked it. The two sides disagree on whether any city money goes to the nursing program.