By Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu, GNA
Bolgatanga, Feb. 27, GNA – Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister of Health, has announced that the government has settled on the conditions of service for nurses and midwives across the country.
“The conditions of service for nurses are in full operation. Nurses’ uniforms, as well as book and fuel allowances, are captured in the 2026 budget. We have agreed to almost everything captured in the conditions of service,” he said.
It will be recalled that members of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) embarked on a nationwide strike in June 2025.
The action was intended to register displeasure over what leadership described as the “overly delayed” implementation of their collective agreement, which was signed in May 2024 between the GRNMA and its employer.
Mr Akandoh made the announcement during a meeting with the staff and management of the Upper East Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga, where it received mixed reactions from the nurses and midwives in attendance.
Prior to the meeting, the Sector Minister visited the Emergency Department, the Male Ward, and the Out-Patient Department.
During the visits, he urged staff on duty to always wear their name tags and encouraged them to continue rendering professional healthcare services to patients.
Mr Akandoh stated that the Ministry would now shift its attention to the arrears of nurses and midwives who began work in 2025.
“We started paying some of them in November. We are going to communicate how we will pay the remaining arrears in instalments.
“Government owes you, and I, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, will make sure you get your money. Do not be incited by anybody. Nobody is going to take your money; it will be paid to you,” he assured the staff amidst applause.
The Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Juaboso Constituency in the Western North Region, added that the Ministry had engaged with the leadership of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) regarding car duty waivers.
He noted that although the Ministry engaged the GMA, it was the Ministry’s belief that the waiver should benefit every health worker. “We are developing a concept where every health personnel will have the opportunity to own a car under a hire-purchase model. We are conducting stakeholder engagements at the moment.”
Dr Joseph Kojo Tambil, the Medical Director of the hospital, who spoke on challenges of the hospital, noted that the transition from the Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS) to the Ghana Health Information Management System (GHIMS), created significant problems for the facility.
“In fact, because of this challenge, we have not been able to submit our NHIA claims since October last year. We have not received any payment for the past three months because there is virtually no data to submit.
“We hope that you will use your good office to ensure we receive some payment despite the challenges we are facing,” the Medical Director told the Minister.
He appealed to him to recruit more staff, especially non-clinical and non-administrative personnel, including drivers, security guards, and cleaners.
He revealed that the hospital currently had only two drivers. “They are supposed to run a 24-hour shift, transporting staff and moving commodities. You can agree that two people doing that job is woefully inadequate,” he said.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Linda Asante Agyei