Leticia Asaba Atiah, President of the National Association of Registered Midwives (NARM), has revealed a tense standoff during a crucial May 30 meeting with Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.
According to Ms. Atiah, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) blocked four other unions from joining the talks, claiming exclusive rights based on their possession of the official bargaining certificate.
Speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues program monitored by Kumasimail.com Ms. Atiah recounted the events of the day. She said the minister invited the unions following the declaration of a strike.
She described the meeting as a “frustrating wait” at the Ministry of Health.
Ms. Atiah recounted“The four unions, including some nursing tutors, were ushered into a ground floor hall and left waiting for hours. Meanwhile, GRNMA representatives were nowhere to be seen.”
She continued “The minister arrived late at 4 p.m., apologized for his delay due to parliamentary duties, but then left again, leaving the group waiting.”
Growing impatient, Ms. Atiah went upstairs to inquire and was shocked to learn from an official that ‘the GRNMA had refused to sit with the other unions’.
“They said we don’t have the bargaining certificate. They insisted they alone would meet the minister because they hold the certificate,” Ms. Atiah said that’s what an official of the Ministry of Health informed her.
When asked by the host how she felt about the development, Ms. Atiah expressed deep disappointment over the incident.
“It was very bad and humiliating,” she emphasized.
She noted that the younger members of her group were angry and considered leaving, but she and a fellow midwife urged calm, emphasizing the importance of honoring the minister’s invitation.
Eventually, the minister returned and met with the group. During the meeting, the unions questioned why their colleagues were absent. The minister responded that he had already met with the GRNMA separately.
She emphasized the minister explained that the GRNMA refused to meet together with the other unions, and he had to meet them separately to resolve the issue.
Again, she stressed that when they asked why separate meetings were not scheduled from the start, the minister said, “He had expected all parties to attend together and was unaware of the refusal by GRNMA.”
Ms. Atiah concluded that the meeting ended with an agreement that three committee members would work on the relevant documents moving forward.
Source : www.kumasimail.com Kwadwo Owusu
