The Ministry of Health say they are disappointed by the industrial action declared by the Ghana Nurses and Midwives Trainees Association, saying leadership of the trainee nurses have failed to trust the Ministry.
The trainees declared an indefinite strike over the delay in the payment of allowance and clearance forms.
The trainees say their allowances have been in arrears for two years.
Speaking to Citi News, Public Relations Officer of the ministry, Tony Goodman expressed his shock at their decision to go on strike.
He said, “I am surprised they are on strike. As at Monday evening, the executives were in the honorable minister’s office, she told them what she’s doing. We were surprised to hear that they went on strike. When they came, the Minister told them that what we are doing for you is something you have to cherish and respect. If they are on strike, I would be surprised. You came to the minister; the minister discussed all these things with you. You agreed, and now you say you’re on strike. It’s just money, and I keep telling you, when it comes to paying money it is in another ministry’s domain.
He went on to say that the nurses should not have gone on strike since the Ministry was talking to the Finance Ministry to get them paid.
“We try as much as possible to continue dialoging with ministry of finance, to make sure that some amount of money is paid to our training nurses. We were asked to come and make justifications on why government should not cancel their allowance. During that particular process when we were going back and forth trying to explain the issue, we met them and explained it to them, we had a common front, and that is where we are. We are only waiting for a response from government and they are saying they’ve gone on strike. They’ve not kept faith to the ministry,” he added.
