GRNMA Threatens Strike if Newly Recruited Nurses Are Affected by December 7 Termination

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has issued a strong warning to the government over its directive to suspend public service appointments made after December 7, 2024, stating that newly recruited nurses and midwives should be excluded from this measure.

The association has further threatened industrial action if its members are affected by the suspension.

In a statement released on February 15, 2025, the GRNMA called on the government to allow newly recruited nurses to continue in their posts, stressing that they represent the majority of Ghana’s healthcare workforce.

The statement, signed by President Mrs. Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo and Secretary Dr. David Tenkorang-Twum, highlighted that these healthcare professionals are critical to the functioning of the nation’s health system.

The call comes in the wake of a directive from the Chief of Staff at Jubilee House, issued on February 10, 2025.

This directive, titled ‘Revocation of Appointments and Recruitments Made After December 7, 2024,’ ordered the suspension of all public sector appointments made after the specified date.

The GRNMA expressed concerns that this directive, if applied to newly recruited nurses, would severely affect healthcare delivery across the country.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) is currently investigating irregularities in recruitment practices for the public sector, including the hiring of nurses and midwives.

According to Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the findings of this investigation will be communicated to the GRNMA once completed.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has instructed regional and divisional health directors to suspend newly recruited nurses who had not yet been placed on the payroll as of January 2025.

The GRNMA emphasized that the newly recruited nurses and midwives are qualified professionals who had completed their training and mandatory internships.

They argue that suspending them over payroll registration issues before the investigation is concluded would be unjust and detrimental to the health sector.

The association warned that suspending these nurses and midwives would exacerbate the already alarming nurse-to-patient ratios, heighten burnout among healthcare workers, and worsen the ongoing emigration of health professionals seeking opportunities abroad.

In its statement, the GRNMA urged the government to reconsider its decision and allow the newly recruited nurses to remain at their posts.

The association’s leadership has advised all nurses and midwives to remain vigilant and await further instructions as the situation continues to unfold.