The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority Caucus in Parliament on Tuesday criticized government’s unyielding posture to accede to the demands of the nurses and midwives, as ascribed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), describing government’s action as “bad faith”.
“We, in the Minority, did not think that the nurses and midwives were at fault. It is their right, and they seek their rights.
“Government is acting in bad faith and must change its posture and sit down with the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association to resolve the matter amicably. It must not frighten them,” Dr Nana Ayew Afriye, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, made the remarks during a press conference at Parliament House in Accra, to express the Minority’s position on the nurses and midwives’ strike action.
Dr Nana Afriye, also the NPP Member of Parliament for Effiduase/Asokore remarked: “It is the belief of the Minority that government has and is acting in bad faith as far as this stand-off is concerned.
“Again, it’s our belief that governance is a continuous process and regardless of which party is in government must comply with the terms of the agreement signed by representatives of government”.
Members of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) are on an indefinite strike to press home their demand for government to respect the CBA signed in May 2024 and scheduled for implementation from July 1, 2024.
The striking nurses and midwives are demanding that the government pay their outstanding 13 months allowances, allowances for nurses serving in rural areas, fuel allowance arrears, and other welfare matters.
However, the government says it cannot honour the terms agreed in the CBA in 2024 at the moment because of budgetary constraints, an offer the GRNMA has outright rejected.
The Minority was of the belief that government could factor the GRNMA’s demands in the mid-year budget review and not wait till next year.
Meanwhile, the Minority Caucus has entreated the GRNMA to be reasonable and merciful whenever government called them to the negotiating table in view of the lives of people at stake.
GNA