Jobless Nurses and Midwives Threaten Demo

Unemployed nurses and midwives in the country are threatening to hit the streets in protest if the government fails to give financial clearance for employment by the end of August 2018.

Reports had earlier indicated that the aggrieved nurses had been cleared financially which assured they could start their permanent employment in various public health facilities.

But the unemployed health personnel in a recent statement, denied receiving any financial clearance from the finance ministry.

They have therefore given government an August ending deadline to post them or face an unstoppable demonstration which they have tagged, “One Million Walks”.

In the statement, the National Executive Board (NEB) of the Ghana Nurse – Midwife Trainees’ Association (GNMTA) said they had received assurance from government that 27,000 nurses would be recruited.

But as it stands now, “nothing credible and tangible has happened and all efforts to reach the Minister of health to know the status quo of the promised financial clearance has proven futile.”

According to them, the hope of securing a livelihood for themselves has been dashed away adding that, “If eight months into the year, the government is unable to employ a single nurse, how convincing is it that over twenty-seven thousand (27,000) nurses and midwives will be employed within this four (4) remaining months of 2018?”

The GNMTA have therefore called on the President to address their concerns with urgency.

“We believe in you as the first gentleman of the land who has the ability to solve this problem within the twinkle of an eye and would not like to see your children go through hell in the quest for employment once this note gets to your attention.” they said.

If government fails to meet the deadline, the GNMTA say they would demonstrate concurrently in six regional capitals on September 5 to deliver their petitions to the various regional ministers for onwards submission to the President.

If the petition is still not heeded to, the aggrieved nurses would then follow up with the ‘One Million Walk’.

The walk they say, “will record the attendance of prominent personalities of this country who have seen the importance of nurses in health care delivery and hence the need for them to solidarize with the nursing fraternity in these trying moments.”

By: Grace Ablewor Sogbey/ [email protected]