The Nalerigu Youth Association (NAYA) has issued a two-week ultimatum to the Ministry of Health, demanding meaningful action toward resolving the suspension of the Principal of the Nalerigu Nursing and Midwifery College, Ibrahim Chimsi, and warning that it will pursue all lawful and constitutional options should the matter remain unaddressed.
The ultimatum was delivered at a press conference held in Nalerigu on Friday, August 28, 2026, with a statement read on behalf of the association by member Abdulai Hardi. The group expressed deep concern over the circumstances surrounding the principal’s suspension, which followed a visit by the Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to the college on February 28, 2026.
While NAYA was careful to acknowledge the Ministry of Health’s legitimate authority to enforce regulations governing health training institutions,
it argued that the way the Principal’s suspension was carried out fell short of the transparent and fair administrative process such a decision ought to have followed.
Central to the association’s grievance is the allegation that formed the basis of the suspension, the admission of students beyond the college’s approved quota.
According to NAYA, if this constituted a first-time offence, less severe corrective measures, such as a formal warning, could reasonably have been considered before resorting to suspension.
“If this was indeed a first-time infraction, a warning or other corrective action should have been explored before a decision as serious as suspension was taken.”
Nalerigu Youth Association (NAYA)
Concerns Over Unresolved Royal Interventions
NAYA further highlighted what it described as a troubling pattern of unresolved engagement between traditional authority and the Ministry over the matter, noting that His Royal Majesty the Nayiri had dispatched three separate delegations to the Health Minister seeking a reconsideration of the suspension.
According to the association, none of these interventions, as of the press conference, produced what it considered a satisfactory resolution.
The group also took issue with the sequence of events surrounding the Minister’s visit to the college, criticising the apparent absence of a prior courtesy call on the Nayiri, who serves as both Life Patron of the institution and Overlord of the Mamprugu Kingdom, ahead of the Minister’s official engagement at the college.
NAYA argued that such an omission ran contrary to the expected protocol for matters of significant local importance, insisting that engaging traditional authorities remains essential to resolving issues affecting institutions under their patronage.
“Engaging our traditional authorities is not merely a courtesy, it is essential in resolving matters of significant local importance.”
Nalerigu Youth Association (NAYA)
Key Demands Presented to The Ministry
Outlining its position, NAYA called on the Ministry of Health to reconsider its decision and facilitate the reinstatement of Mr Chimsi as Principal of the college.
The association also demanded a formal investigation into separate allegations of insubordination and mismanagement involving the current Vice Principal and some members of the teaching staff, suggesting that concerns within the institution extend beyond the principal’s suspension alone.
In addition, NAYA called for direct engagement between the Ministry, the Nayiri and other relevant stakeholders to resolve the matter through dialogue and urged that any future admission-related concerns at the college be handled strictly through established institutional procedures rather than ad hoc administrative action.
The association stressed that its intervention is motivated by concerns around fairness, due process, institutional stability, and the long-term development of the Nalerigu Nursing and Midwifery College, rather than opposition to the Ministry’s regulatory role.
Two-Week Window for Dialogue
In setting its two-week deadline, NAYA said the period is intended to allow room for constructive dialogue and an amicable resolution between the parties involved.
It cautioned, however, that should no meaningful progress be recorded within that timeframe, the association would proceed to consult relevant stakeholders and explore all lawful, peaceful and constitutionally permissible options available to it.
The group was explicit in distancing itself from any form of unlawful conduct, stating clearly that it does not support violence, intimidation, or the destruction of property, and insisting that any future action taken would remain strictly peaceful and within the bounds of Ghanaian law.
NAYA closed its statement by reaffirming its respect for the Government of Ghana, the Ministry of Health, traditional authorities and the management of the Nalerigu Nursing and Midwifery College, urging all parties involved to embrace dialogue as the most constructive path forward.
The association said doing so remains essential to preserving peace in the area and ensuring the continued growth and stability of the institution at the centre of the dispute.
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