Accra: Mr. Samuel Alagkora Akolgo, the First Vice President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), has voiced concerns that nurses and midwives in Ghana are not being recognized as essential service providers. He emphasized that although the law categorizes them as such, the treatment they receive from their employers suggests otherwise.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Akolgo expressed these sentiments during an interview amidst an ongoing industrial action initiated by the GRNMA. The association had announced a strike on May 28, 2025, to protest the delayed implementation of their collective agreement. This industrial action resulted in the withdrawal of nursing services from Out-Patient Departments, emergency, and specialized units across public healthcare facilities in the country.
Mr. Akolgo explained that the GRNMA had devised a roadmap leading up to the strike, providing an opportunity for employers to address their concerns. He noted that if the employers had been committed to resolving the issues, there was ample time to do so before the situation escalated to industrial action. He criticized employers for often shirking their responsibilities, relying on legal clauses that prevent essential service workers from striking, which he deemed unfair.
Highlighting the disparity in treatment, Mr. Akolgo pointed out that nurses and midwives have to pay for healthcare services when they fall ill, unlike essential service providers from other organizations who receive free healthcare for themselves and their families.
The GRNMA's First Vice President revealed that their condition of service is documented in a 61-page report, with only one page addressing their specific issues. He noted that while some issues have been partially implemented, adjustments are needed regarding the benefits each member should receive. Mr. Akolgo also cited restrictions under International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions that prevented the introduction of new allowances, such as the professional development allowance.
He further elaborated on the rural incentive allowance meant for nurses and midwives in rural areas, emphasizing its importance as compensation for their sacrifices. Although not a new demand, its implementation faced challenges in identifying rural areas, an issue now resolved by guidelines from the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service.
Mr. Akolgo concluded by urging the employer to address their demands promptly to enable members to resume work, stressing that most of their requests are already standard for other health sector colleagues. The leadership of the GRNMA is not pleased with the ongoing strike and calls for immediate action to resolve the situation.
