Members of the Minority Caucus in Parliament have condemned the escalating crisis caused by the ongoing nationwide strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), describing it as a growing public health emergency.
In a joint statement delivered on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, June 12, two NPP MPs, Hon. Jerry Ahmed Shaib, Deputy Minority Whip and MP for Weija-Gbawe, and Hon. Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, MP for Effiduase-Asokore and Ranking Member of the Health Committee, placed the blame squarely on the Ministry of Finance. They argued that the Ministry’s inaction is prolonging the standoff with the GRNMA and worsening the crisis in the health sector.
“The failure of the Minister of Finance to approve and implement the agreed Collective Bargaining Agreement is what is protracting the stand-off between the government and the GRNMA. This assertive position can best be described as the cause of death associated with the GRNMA strike action,” Dr. Ayew, who read the statement, said.
The strike, which began on June 2, has evolved into a nationwide industrial action involving over 128,000 nurses and midwives in public service. As a result, key hospitals including Korle-Bu, Komfo Anokye, Tamale Teaching Hospital, and Ridge have significantly scaled down operations. Emergency units are overwhelmed, outpatient departments have closed, and patients—particularly the vulnerable—have been left without care.
“Emergency units have been crippled, outpatient departments shut, and in some cases, entire health facilities have closed. This has left pregnant women, children, and the elderly without essential care,” Dr. Ayew warned.
Although the National Labour Commission secured a court injunction on June 4 declaring the strike illegal and ordering compulsory arbitration, the GRNMA maintains that it has not been formally served with the order and continues to withhold services.
“This legal technicality, whether valid or not, has left many of our public health institutions under intense strain,” Dr. Ayew noted.
He also expressed concern over growing tensions at various health facilities, citing reports of clashes between striking junior nurses and senior staff who have attempted to maintain emergency services.
The MPs further noted that four major professional bodies—the Union of Professional Nurses and Midwives, Ghana (UPNMG), the Ghana Registered Midwives Association, the Professional Association of Psychiatric Nurses, and the National Association of Registered Midwives—have dissociated themselves from the GRNMA’s action. These groups have described the strike as unilateral and premature, urging their members to remain at post.
Nonetheless, the Minority MPs emphasized the need to acknowledge the legitimacy of the GRNMA’s grievances.
“We cannot call them heroes during pandemics and abandon them in times of calm. Nurses and midwives are the bedrock of our health system. We must institutionalize the timely, transparent, and binding implementation of collective agreements,” Dr. Ayew said.
While commending the Ministry of Health for convening an emergency meeting with stakeholders on June 9 to address the impasse, the MPs reiterated that tangible progress cannot be achieved unless the Finance Ministry fulfils its obligations.
NPP MPs pleaded with the striking health workers to return to work in the national interest, even as negotiations continue.
