Dr. Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, Minister in Charge of Labour, Jobs and Employment, has urged patience from striking nurses and other unions as the government undertakes a comprehensive review of conditions of service agreements signed by the previous administration.
Speaking on JoyNews PM Express monitored by Kumasimail, the Minister emphasized the need for the government to fully understand the economic context and systemic challenges before committing to any new terms.
Dr. Pelpuo explained that the current administration inherited multiple unresolved conditions of service issues, not only from the nursing sector but across various unions, including university workers and the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOSAGG).
He highlighted that the government is committed to addressing these demands but must first regulate the economy and stabilize the system to avoid unintended consequences.
“We are dealing with a system that has its own challenges. We need to understand the system, regulate the economy, and appreciate what is happening before responding to workers’ demands,” the Minister stated.
He cautioned against rushing into agreements that could destabilize government operations and the broader economy.
Addressing the ongoing nurses’ strike, Dr. Pelpuo revealed that prior to the industrial action, he had engaged with nurse representatives who indicated plans to strike within days.
He expressed surprise and disappointment that the strike proceeded despite his appeals for patience and assurances that the government was working towards a positive resolution.
He said “When I spoke to them, they told me they would start a strike soon. I urged them to reconsider, assuring them of our commitment to meeting their needs. Unfortunately, they continued with the strike.”
The Minister reflected on the prolonged nature of the negotiations, noting that the nurses had waited over a year for a response and that the current government had only been in office for six months.
Dr. Pelpuo remarked “I thought they could have given us more time to complete our review.”
Responding to questions about governance continuity and the responsibility of the new administration to honor previous commitments, Dr. Pelpuo acknowledged that the government received detailed handover notes on workers’ concerns.
However, he stressed that understanding and regulating the economic environment is critical before finalizing any agreements.
When pressed on how much time the government requested from the unions, the Minister said, “Just time for us to appreciate what is happening and then come in to solve the problem.”
He clarified that no specific timeline was given, as negotiations were ongoing and involved multiple stakeholders, including the Ministries of Health and Finance.
Dr. Pelpuo lamented that the nurses’ decision to strike prematurely disrupted the flow of negotiations and information exchange, making it harder to reach a consensus.
He urged unions to return to the negotiating table to facilitate a mutually agreeable solution.
“It is not only nurses who are facing these challenges that we have inherited; university workers have similar challenges, and CLOSAGG experiences the same issues. Every now and then, organizations write to say they have concerns. We intend to tackle these comprehensively and fairly,” he affirmed
Source : www.kumasimail.com /Kwadwo Owusu
