The ongoing dispute between the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) and key state actors has intensified, as the Association strongly criticized the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health for unilaterally rescheduling a long-anticipated meeting.
The delay has reignited frustrations stemming from the recent nurses’ strike, which brought healthcare services to a halt earlier this month.
According to the GRNMA, the meeting, which was initially set for June 26, 2025, has now been postponed to July 10, 2025, based on a letter from Parliamentary Services received on June 25, 2025.
The letter reportedly cited the “unavailability of some key stakeholders who are currently unavoidably outside the jurisdiction” as the reason for the delay.
This development has not been well received by the Association, which viewed the move as potentially undermining the progress made in resolving its grievances through negotiation.
Meanwhile, it can be recalled that the GRNMA had embarked on a structured series of industrial actions beginning June 2, 2025.
These escalated into a full nurses’ strike by June 9, 2025, with the complete withdrawal of nursing and midwifery services across the country.
The strike was suspended on June 13, 2025, following the intervention of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health and public appeals from concerned citizens, patients, and civil society.
In an official statement issued by the Association, the GRNMA emphasized that the decision to suspend the strike was made in good faith.
The statement made it clear that the unilateral change in meeting date has the potential to stall the timely implementation of key agreements that were brokered during the earlier intervention.
Despite this setback, the GRNMA stated that it is willing to extend some level of trust to the Committee, hoping that its engagement with the Ministries of Health and Finance will lead to fruitful outcomes.
Nurses Demand Action On July Implementation Deadline
At the heart of the issue are four key items that the GRNMA maintains must be implemented by July 2025.
The Association considers this timeline essential and has made it clear that any further delays could prompt a reassessment of its next steps.
The Association also addressed additional outstanding items, stating that it expects those to be implemented by January 2026.
“We demand that these timelines are clearly captured and signed off at the 10th July, 2025 meeting to avoid any ambiguity in the implementation schedule.”
Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA)
The statement further disclosed that the National Council of the GRNMA convened on June 25, 2025, to deliberate on the implications of the rescheduling.
The leadership concluded that while the strike was suspended in a spirit of cooperation, the postponement of the meeting represents an act of bad faith.
Still, the Association stopped short of announcing any immediate retaliatory action, opting instead to await the outcome of the July 10 session.
The Association’s statement also served as a message of unity and resilience, acknowledging the unwavering support of its members during the recent strike.
“We wish to express our sincerest appreciation to the nursing and midwifery fraternity for the deep sense of solidarity during this whole period of fighting for what is rightfully ours. To the Press, we thank you sincerely for carrying our voices to the good people of Ghana.”
Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA)
Accordingly, the GRNMA urged all its members to remain calm and vigilant while awaiting the next steps from leadership.
The Association hinted at the possibility of future actions depending on how the new July meeting unfolds.“We call on our dear nurses and midwives to remain steadfast and wait for updates and necessary actions that the National Council may deem necessary.”
With the clock ticking toward the July deadline, the health sector remains on edge.
Meanwhile, the recent nurses’ strike laid bare the fragile state of labor relations in Ghana’s healthcare system, and any further delay in implementing agreed reforms may again provoke industrial unrest.
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