We may resume strike soon – Nurses and Midwives

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has warned that it may reinstate its suspended strike if the government fails to honour commitments made during recent negotiations.

The warning came from the First Vice President of the Association, Samuel Alagkora Akolgo, during an interview on Newsfile, a day after GRNMA called off its nationwide strike on Friday, June 13.

The strike, which began on June 2, was put on hold after what the Association described as “fruitful” discussions with the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health and other government representatives.

However, tensions remain, as the government has reportedly indicated that the GH¢2 billion needed to meet the demands of the nurses and midwives was not included in the current budget and may only be available in the 2026 fiscal plan.

Despite the concerns, Mr. Akolgo said the Association is still hopeful that government will follow through on its promises.

“We don’t want to speculate, because the honorable members in the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health are honorable men of integrity, and we believe whatever understanding that we had, they will not relent on their part of the bargain,” he said.

When pressed by host Samson Lardi whether the Association would resume the strike if government delays again, Akolgo said:

“We are not going to contemplate resuming or not resuming. It is better we remain positive and hope that the right thing will be done for nurses and midwives to continue their service to the people of Ghana.”

Still, he made it clear that their patience is not unlimited.

“We expect government to hold up its end of the bargain regarding our conditions of service, for which reason we decided to suspend our strike action,” Akolgo stressed.

The strike caused major disruptions in health facilities across the country, affecting both public hospitals and clinics. It was suspended only after a temporary agreement was reached.

But with no immediate budgetary allocation for the nurses’ demands, the upcoming follow-up meeting on June 26 will be key in deciding whether the peace holds or industrial action resumes.