Accra, Jan. 22, GNA — The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwifery Association (GRNMA) on Friday commissioned 11 Toyota minibuses for use in its administrative regions.
The National Head office and the other ten administrative regions that received a vehicle are: Bono, Ashanti, Greater Accra, Upper East and West, Northern, Volta, Western, Eastern and Central.
Madam Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, President for GRNMA, said vehicles helped to strengthen the Association’s visibility in the country and enhanced their operations even at the remotest parts of communities.
“Resources such as vehicles are very important in trade union business and this is possible for leaders to reach out to members across the regions into the districts and even the hard-to-reach areas which go a long way to improve the visibility of the union and the accessibility within our constituents,” she said.
She said leadership of GRNMA, with consent from their National Council procured the buses out of their Internally Generated Funds, precisely, the monthly dues paid by members.
The President said the leadership would continue to put together projects and activities to ensure the welfare of members and help leaders in the regions to effectively carry out their duties.
To ensure proper maintenance of the vehicles, she said leaders had reviewed their Council’s General Policy Guidelines developed by the Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Committee and Specific Guidelines in vehicle management also developed by the Transport Committee.
Per the guidelines, leaders of the various regions are to reserve use of the vehicle only for official purposes and not for commercial purposes such as hiring.
However, it further states that the only category of groups permitted to hire the vehicle is the Association’s stakeholders such as Hospitals, Health Directorate and schools.
Reverend Hayford Laryea, Chairman of GRNMA’s Eastern Regional Office, expressed appreciation to the leadership for making the vehicles available to assist their activities.
He said the absence of a vehicle impeded their activities, in that, they struggled to mobilize their members for programmes.
“When we are attending any event, those with vehicles support us but even with that one, we cannot carry many of our members along. And when such vehicles break down, we repair it from our own personal funds. For the past thirty years, all we had to support us with transportation was a motorcycle. This bus has come at the right time and will greatly help us,” he said.
Mr Abukari Alhassan, Northern Regional Chairman for GRNMA said the vast nature of the region’s geography came along with much work, as such, the vehicle would assist them to reach members with ease and effectively improve their services.
He promised that the region would adhere to all policies put in place to ensure that the vehicle was well maintained to serve the needs of the region for a longer period of time.
GNA