By Nadia Ntiamoah
The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has openly expressed frustration over what it describes as government’s “bad faith” in handling crucial post-strike negotiations—following the sudden postponement of a scheduled meeting with Parliament’s Select Committee on Health.
At a press conference on Thursday, June 26, the Association decried the eleventh-hour shift of the meeting—originally planned for June 26—to July 10, 2025.
The Parliamentary Service, in a formal communication, cited the absence of “key stakeholders currently outside the jurisdiction” as the reason for the rescheduling.
However, GRNMA leaders are not convinced.
They view the move as a deliberate delay tactic that could derail the implementation of critical items agreed upon in the aftermath of their nationwide strike earlier this month.
Strike and Its Suspension
On June 2, 2025, the GRNMA began a series of escalating industrial actions in protest against the government’s failure to implement previously agreed conditions of service.
These culminated in a full-scale nationwide withdrawal of nursing and midwifery services on June 9, affecting hospitals and clinics across the country.
After intense public outcry and mediation by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, the Association suspended the strike on June 13 “in good faith”—citing trust in Parliament’s commitment to resolve the issues.
The suspension was widely welcomed by health sector stakeholders and citizens, with many praising the nurses and midwives for prioritizing patient care while still pushing for their rights.
Anger Over Postponed Meeting
But less than two weeks after the suspension, the tone has changed.
In a strongly worded statement, the GRNMA said it felt betrayed by the abrupt postponement of the follow-up meeting that was meant to seal timelines and implementation frameworks for the agreed items.
“This postponement is in bad faith,” the Association declared. “We suspended our strike not out of weakness, but because we trusted the parliamentary process. We expect nothing less than a reciprocity of good faith.”
July and January Deadlines Issued
The union has now drawn a clear line in the sand. It has issued firm deadlines for government action on the four most critical items from the agreement, demanding that they be fully implemented by the end of July 2025.
The remaining items, according to the GRNMA, must be delivered by January 2026.
These deadlines, the Association insists, must be formally documented and signed off at the rescheduled July 10 meeting to avoid future ambiguity.
“This is not a request—it is a non-negotiable demand,” the statement warned.
Caution and Unity Among Members
Despite its visible frustration, the Association is urging its members across the country to remain calm but alert.
The National Council has assured nurses and midwives that it is closely monitoring developments and will not hesitate to act should there be further delays or breach of trust.
“We call on our dear nurses and midwives to remain steadfast and await further updates and any necessary actions that the National Council may deem appropriate,” the Council said.
GRNMA also expressed appreciation to its members for their continued patience, and to the media for amplifying their concerns during what has been a tense negotiation period.
A Test of Government Commitment
The unfolding situation presents a critical test for the government and Parliament’s Select Committee on Health, whose mediation played a vital role in ending a strike that threatened to paralyze the national health system.
Labour watchers say that any further delay or breach of commitment could reignite tensions in the already fragile public health sector, which is battling resource constraints and staffing shortages.
For now, all eyes are on the July 10 meeting—seen as a make-or-break moment for the government’s credibility in labour negotiations and for the morale of Ghana’s frontline health workers.
