GRNMA strike: We won’t treat gov’t with kid gloves – Health Committee Ranking Member – Nsemkeka
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, has warned that the Minority will not go easy on the government over its handling of the ongoing strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA).
According to him, the GRNMA strike is a crisis that must be resolved urgently, stressing that while the Minority will not politicise the industrial action, they will also not shield the government from responsibility.
Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Tuesday, June 10, Dr. Afriyie stated that the government must be held accountable for its failure to honour the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) signed with the nurses.
“We are not ready to play politics on that. I said it clearly, and I will not do that, but I’m not going to also treat the government with kid gloves on this issue. They have been elected to fix the problem, so they have to fix the problem,” he said.
He criticised what he described as an unhelpful posture from the government since January, noting that delays from the Ministry of Finance in approving payments had worsened the situation.
“One of the kinds that we are not happy with, especially when it’s gotten to approval and payment from Finance to Controller—that’s the issue,” he explained.
Dr. Afriyie urged the government to engage the striking nurses with clear communication about what parts of their demands can be addressed in the upcoming mid-year budget review and which will require deferral to the next fiscal cycle.
Dr. Afriyie also appealed to nurses to show restraint and compassion and to cooperate if the government demonstrates goodwill.
“We are also clear in our minds that the nurses will have to be merciful. In our position, if the government sits with you and pleads to you, nurses will have to be merciful and just try to know that the joy of your work is healing and not when we are losing more lives,” he added.