By: Henrietta Afful
The government has appealed to retired nurses and midwives to volunteer their services to help alleviate pressure on hospitals impacted by the ongoing strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA).
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, Minister of Health Mr. Mintah Akandoh called on “public-spirited” retired health professionals to temporarily step in while government works to resolve the impasse with striking nurses and midwives.
The nationwide industrial action, now in its second week, follows GRNMA’s rejection of a government proposal to delay the implementation of new working conditions until 2026. The Association described the proposal as unfair and maintained that the changes must take effect earlier.
Responding to the union’s concerns, the Health Minister explained that implementing the new conditions of service immediately would severely disrupt the national budget.
“Government wishes to stress its readiness to further engage in a manner that does not dislocate the national budget. We wish to draw your attention to the fact that the conditions of service and the reference are not captured in the 2025 budget and will completely throw the economy off gear if implemented immediately in the manner it currently exist ” the Minister of Health said.
He added that the government is mindful of the economic consequences of unbudgeted expenditure and is working to prevent a repeat of the financial hardships experienced in recent years.
“…We are mindful of the serious economic consequences of unbudgetted expenditure and want to avoid the economic slippages that led to the hardship in the recent past” Mr Akandoh added.
Despite the deadlock, the Minister of Health reiterated government’s commitment to continued dialogue with the GRNMA in order to reach a mutually acceptable resolution in the interest of public health and national stability.
He appealed to the striking nurses to call off their industrial action.
Meeting on Monday 9th June
On Monday, June 9, the Ministry of Health held an emergency meeting with GRNMA leaders and other health stakeholders to try and end the strike.
In a meeting held with representatives from the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the Ministry of Health, CEOs of Teaching Hospitals, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), and other key health sector officials, the government proposed that while the CoS could be approved now, its implementation would be delayed until 2026 due to budget constraints.
GRNMA, however, rejected the proposal, calling it unfair to nurses and midwives who have been awaiting improvements in their working conditions since the beginning of the year.
Instead, the union proposed a revised timeline: the CoS should be signed and fully implemented by June 2025, with the government beginning payment of all arrears—covering the period from June 2024 to June 2025—starting in September 2025.
Following this development, GRNMA’s National Council reaffirmed its position that the ongoing strike action should continue until a more acceptable agreement is reached.
Despite the impasse, GRNMA says it remains open to further engagement with the government.
“We are ready to talk,” a union spokesperson said. “But any agreement must reflect fairness and respect for the sacrifices of our members.”
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