The government has directed the Ministry of Finance and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to come up with a roadmap for a smooth implementation of the demands of the striking nurses and midwives.
More than 128,000 nurses and midwives across Ghana on May 28, 2025 declared a nationwide strike action over government’s continued delay in implementing their new conditions of service which was agreed in 2024 under the Akufo-Addo government.
The GRNMA has resolved to only resume work if their new conditions of service is implemented.
In a media address on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at the Jubilee House, the Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, expressed the government’s commitment to implementing the conditions of service for nurses and midwives.
“Government remains committed to the needed engagements that will lead to the approval and implementation of the new Conditions of Service for nurses and midwives.
He added: “Accordingly, Government has directed the Ministry of Finance and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to, as a matter of urgency, lead the development of a roadmap to ensure a smooth implementation of the process.”
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The Minister noted that upon assuming office, on behalf of government, he has engaged with the GRNMA several times on alternatives to explore the best possible avenue to approve and implement the new Conditions of Service.
However, the Minister stated that the demands by nurses and midwives have not been captured in the 2025 budget and will put government’s budget in disarray if implemented in its current state.
He said government is cautious of the serious economic consequences of any unbudgeted expenditure and wants to avoid the economic slippages that caused hardships in the recent past.
“We wish to draw attention to the fact that the conditions of service under reference are not captured in the 2025 budget and will completely throw the economy off-gear if implemented immediately in the manner it currently exists,” he said.
He stressed that government is ready to further engage nurses with the view to implement the Conditions of Service in a manner that does not dislocate the national budget.
According to Akandoh, he has personally engaged with the leadership of the nursing and midwifery Associations to resolve the impasse.
“I engaged the leadership of all nurses and midwives associations within the health sector on 30th May 2025 to address their challenges and discuss the subsequent roadmap leading to the implementation of the new Conditions of Service,” Akandoh added.
Despite the National Labour Commission securing an injunction on the strike and ordering nurses and midwives to resume work, GRNMA’s strike continues to be in effect, biting hard as patients are left unattended.
