GRNMA Rejects Govt Proposal to Delay Conditions of Service Implementation

Accra, Ghana - 10 June. 2025 - The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has rejected a government proposal to delay the implementation of their conditions of service until 2026, citing budgetary constraints as the reason for the delay.

The proposal was made during a closed-door emergency meeting between the Ministry of Health and GRNMA leaders on Monday, June 9.

According to Samuel Alagkora Akologo, GRNMA Vice President, the government attributed its inability to meet the association's demands to a lack of budget provision for the implementation of the conditions of service.

The GRNMA had presented its conditions of service to the government in January, expecting them to be factored into the year's budget.

However, the Ministry of Health claimed that budget constraints would make it difficult to implement the conditions of service this year.

“We were told that there was no budget provision for it, and these conditions of service were presented to the government in January, and we expected that they would be factored into this year’s budget. Unfortunately, we are being told that the challenges of the implementation are such that they have budget constraints,” he told journalists after the meeting.

The proposal to defer implementation until 2026 was met with strong opposition from the GRNMA, with Akologo describing it as unfair. 

“And what they wanted us to agree on was to push the implementation to 2026. What it means is that they wanted to set the conditions of the service calendar so that it will be like we have just renegotiated, and then we are moving on, so that the idea of arrears will not come in. This is not fair,” he added.

The association's National Council is expected to review the proposal and determine the union's next steps.

The ongoing strike by the GRNMA has had a significant impact on health facilities across the country. Patients are facing difficulties accessing medical care, and healthcare services are being severely disrupted.

The Ministry of Health has expressed its commitment to engaging the GRNMA further and finding a solution to the impasse. 

Ministry Spokesperson Tony Goodman emphasized the government's openness to continued dialogue and compromise, stating that they are willing to consider alternative proposals from the GRNMA.

“We are open to any proposals they may also come back with. We are open to any discussion. We are not saying that whatever position we have is what they should take. They may also have their own position. We will look at it and see if necessary, we will adjust. That is what negotiation is about,” he stated.

The GRNMA's decision to reject the government's proposal has sparked a standoff between the two parties. The association is determined to have its conditions of service implemented, while the government is struggling to find a way to meet the demands within its budget constraints. 

Source: Lead News Online