RASHID URGES GRNMA TO CANCEL PLANNED JUNE 9 STRIKE

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo, Ghana’s Minister for Employment, Jobs, and Labour Relations, has urged the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) to reconsider its decision to embark on a nationwide strike scheduled to begin on Monday, June 9, 2025.

The GRNMA announced the industrial action over what it described as unresolved issues regarding their conditions of service. In a plea to the union, Dr. Pelpuo emphasized the significant impact such a strike could have on the delivery of healthcare services across the country. He stressed the importance of continued dialogue and urged the association to return to the negotiation table to resolve their grievances amicably.

Supporting Dr. Pelpuo’s appeal, the Ministry of Health also called on the GRNMA to retract its strike decision, citing ongoing discussions and the potential risks to public health if nurses and midwives were to withdraw their services.

Despite these appeals, the GRNMA remains resolute. The association has laid out a detailed timeline leading up to the strike: members are to wear red armbands and headbands on June 2 and 3, halt outpatient services from June 4 to 8, and fully withdraw all services starting June 9 if their demands remain unmet.

Meanwhile, some professional groups within the healthcare sector have chosen not to join the planned strike. These include the National Association of Registered Midwives Ghana and the Ghana Registered Midwives Association, who have clarified their non-involvement, pointing to divisions among healthcare worker unions on the matter.

As the date approaches, the government continues to push for negotiations in the hope of preventing a disruption to the country’s healthcare system.