The Vice President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Samuel Alagkora Akologo, has criticized the government’s handling of their ongoing demands, calling its approach a clear demonstration of misplaced priorities.
Responding to Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem’s claim that implementing the GRNMA’s proposed conditions of service would cost over GHS2 billion, Akologo dismissed the figure as overstatedand inaccurate and
“They are quoting GHS2 billion, that if they are going to implement our conditions, it will require GHS2 billion. It goes to confirm that they haven’t even done proper costing of our conditions of service,”he asserted.
Akologo questioned what specific components in their proposal could justify such a high estimate, arguing that critical allowances—such as fuel support for senior staff and research funding for roughly 10,000 nurses, would only apply to select groups.
He also emphasized that the rural incentive allowance, designed for nurses in deprived communities, amounts to just 20% of their basic salary.
“Is it this amount which is going to bloat the total to GHS2 billion?”.
Meanwhile, the strike has left hospitals overwhelmed, with reports of long queues and service delays at major health centers.
Mothers seeking antenatal care and emergency cases are among those worst affected.
In an attempt to mitigate the crisis, the Health Minister has urged retired nurses and midwives to step in temporarily, but with GRNMA refusing to call off the strike until their demands are met, the standoff continues.
Akologo remains firm on the union’s position, insisting that if the government genuinely prioritized nurses’ welfare, their concerns would have been factored into the national budget.
