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Ted News Ghana Blog of Thursday, 5 June 2025
Source: TEDDY VAVA GAWUGA
Ranking Member of Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, has urged the Ministry of Finance to immediately engage the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) to resolve the ongoing nationwide strike that has severely disrupted healthcare services across the country.
The GRNMA commenced the industrial action earlier this week in protest over delays in the enforcement of the 2024 Collective Agreement, which includes critical components such as unpaid allowances, delayed postings, and other conditions of service. The strike has crippled outpatient and emergency services, leaving many hospitals overwhelmed.
Although the National Labour Commission (NLC) has deemed the strike illegal—citing failure to follow due process—the GRNMA maintains that the government has failed to honour its commitments.
Speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Thursday, May 5, Dr. Afriyie highlighted that the core of the impasse appears to be the Finance Ministry’s failure to continue with a previously agreed roadmap from the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
“I think what they seek is to get the Ministry of Finance back to the roadmap just where we left off in May 2024, and I’m not too sure they are getting the sort of audience they need,” he stated.
Dr. Afriyie explained that the agreement was nearing formal approval and had received verbal endorsement from the Ministry of Finance before being stalled due to a court case initiated by a separate group of nurses.
“It lies with the Ministry of Finance to continue where the NPP left off… It was verbally agreed and was going to be written and directed accordingly until the court case interrupted the process,” he added.
He further noted that the current strike may be due to a communication breakdown or a lack of clarity between the Finance Ministry and GRNMA leadership.
“I’m not too sure they have that understanding and cooperation from the Ministry of Finance, and that is probably causing their frustration at this point in time,” he concluded.
The call comes as pressure mounts on government to act swiftly and restore normalcy to the nation’s health services. Stakeholders have called for urgent dialogue and resolution to prevent further harm to public health.