Nurses’ strike: Gov’t warns of ₵2bn fiscal time bomb
The government has issued an urgent appeal for dialogue with striking nurses and midwives while warning that meeting all their demands could add over GH¢2 billion to the national wage bill, potentially destabilizing the economy and breaching 2025 budget parameters.
At a Tuesday press briefing, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem acknowledged nurses’ critical role in healthcare but emphasized fiscal constraints. “With over 120,000 nurses on payroll, fully implementing their proposed conditions would severely strain the budget. We’re looking at exceeding two billion cedis added to compensation,” he stated.
The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) launched their strike on June 2 after negotiations broke down over a May 2024 service agreement originally scheduled for July implementation.
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh expressed regret over service disruptions, revealing that while most nursing groups accepted phased implementation at a May 30 meeting, GRNMA rejected this approach. The association subsequently skipped a June 5 National Labour Commission (NLC) emergency meeting, prompting the NLC to declare the strike illegal.
“We’re committed to approved implementation but must avoid economic slippages that caused recent hardships,” Mr. Akandoh said, announcing contingency measures including alternative care facilities and appeals to retired practitioners. Both ministries reiterated willingness to continue negotiations that balance workers’ needs with fiscal stability.
