Health minister begs striking nurses, says their demands not captured in 2025 budget
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has appealed for calm as the nationwide strike by nurses and midwives enters its second week, stressing the government’s willingness to engage further on the matter, emphasising that the conditions of service in question were not included in the 2025 national budget.
Implementing these demands immediately, he warned, could destabilise the economy and reverse recent fiscal gains.
In a joint press conference with the Ministry of Finance, at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, June 10, Mr Akandoh acknowledged the legitimacy of the concerns raised by members of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) but cautioned that the current financial demands cannot be met without serious consequences for the economy.
“Government wishes to stress its readiness to further engage with the view to implementing the conditions of service in a manner that does not dislocate the national economy,” he said.
He added that the conditions of service under discussion were not factored into the 2025 national budget and implementing them in their current form would “completely throw the economy off gear”.
“We are mindful of the economic consequences of unbudgeted expenditure and want to avoid the economic slippages that led to instability in the recent past,” he stated.
The Conditions of Service agreement was reached and signed in May 2024, and implementation was due in July 2024. However, a splinter group went to court to place an injunction on the implementation because they claimed what was signed was not adequate and that they were not consulted.
The court process was finally resolved in January this year, during the transition from the old to the new government.
According to the GRNMA, they’ve since held several meetings with the employer, and specifically met with the Health Minister way ahead of the budget presentation, and had been fully assured that their conditions were going to be catered for in the budget.
Background to the Strike
The strike, which began on 3rd June, was declared by the GRNMA and its allied associations after months of unsuccessful negotiations with the government over improved conditions of service, including allowances, risk benefits, and rural posting support.
The union has accused the government of failing to honour its commitments, citing stagnation in salaries amid rising cost of living and inflation.
Hospitals and clinics across the country have since been left operating with skeletal staff, causing significant disruption to healthcare delivery.
Emergency services have been prioritised, but many patients in public hospitals have reported delays or outright cancellation of care.
While the Ministry of Health insists it remains open to dialogue, it has not yet presented a revised financial framework that would incorporate the nurses’ demands without breaching budgetary limits.
The GRNMA, for its part, insists that it will not call off the strike until tangible commitments are made.
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