Ghana in currently in health crisis following total withdrawal of members of Ghana registered Nurses and Midwives association over the government failure to implement their new condition of service signed in 2014.
More than 128,000 nurses and midwives are at home leaving patience on stranded and helpless with no hope an end to the two weeks strike.
According to calculations, about 12 items in the agreement will cost approximately GHS 4,100,000,000. This amount was not budgeted for in the 2025 budget and therefore cannot be implemented this year.
The details are contained in the document captioned “d.”
The agreement, signed on May 20, 2024, under the previous government led by Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, failed to implement it.
The current government under President John Dramani Mahama has faced mounting pressure to fulfill this commitment following the strike action initiated on June 3, 2025
Among the demands by nurses and midwives are:
- Uniform allowance of GHS 1,000 per year
- Fuel allowance of 180 litres at the rate of GHS 10.99 per litre
- Non-basic allowance of 8% of monthly basic salary
- On-call facilitation allowance of 5% of monthly basic salary
- Acting allowance
- Additional duty allowance
- Permanent posting allowance
- Temporary posting allowance
- Overtime allowance
- Tools allowance
- Traveling expenses allowance
- Vehicle maintenance allowance
- Funeral grant
- Kilometric allowance
- Medical subsidy
- Foreign trips allowance
- Local trips allowance
The government, through Health Minister Mintah Akandoh, has proposed sitting down to agree on the figures so that the allowances can be included in the year’s budget.
However, the nurses and midwives insist on immediate implementation rather than waiting for budget approval.
Background:
The 2024 Conditions of Service agreement was intended for implementation starting July 2024 but was stalled due to a court injunction by a splinter group within the nursing community.
The legal issues were resolved in January 2025 during the government transition. The GRNMA claims that despite assurances from the Ministry of Health before the 2025 budget presentation that their conditions would be included, the government has failed to act.
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has stated that the demands are not captured in the 2025 budget and immediate implementation would disrupt the national economy.
Source: www.kumasimail.com/ Kwadwo Owusu
