The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) is pushing back against claims that their demands are financially unrealistic, calling on the Health Minister to revisit their terms of service and act in good faith.
Philimon Gyapong, Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Association, maintained in an interview with ABC News GH that their demands are modest and targeted, urging the government to stop using the national budget as a smokescreen for inaction.
His remarks come as nurses and midwives across the country continue a nationwide strike, which has entered its second week, sparking growing concern over the impact on patient care.
Mr. Gyapong noted that contrary to the Health Minister’s claims, most of the issues tabled by the Association are specific and limited in scope, mainly affecting segmented categories of nurses.
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“Our demand is nothing over the top,” he stated, adding that many of the concerns relate to longstanding disparities in the conditions of service, especially for retired nurses who were shortchanged throughout their years of service.
He criticized the government’s call for retired nurses to return to duty under the same unfair conditions, calling the move unjust and insensitive.
He also challenged the government’s budget narrative, saying, “The issue about budgeting is news to us,” in reference to the Minister’s assertion that the demands were not captured in the 2025 budget.
While acknowledging that the ongoing strike is affecting patients, Gyapong emphasized that the blame should not be placed at the feet of nurses who have been pushed to the wall.
“We are in this situation not because we love to be here,” he said, reaffirming the Association’s willingness to return to the negotiation table—but only with serious commitment from government stakeholders.
With over 128,000 general nurses and 96,000 registered nurses across the country, the deputy PRO stressed that the welfare of health workers must be prioritised if the government expects to sustain quality healthcare delivery.
