The Ghanaian government has instructed the Ministry of Finance and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to urgently develop a roadmap for implementing the conditions of service demanded by striking nurses and midwives.
Over 128,000 members of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) began a nationwide strike on May 28, 2025, protesting delays in executing the 2024 agreement on improved working terms.
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh affirmed the government’s commitment during a June 10 press briefing at Jubilee House. “Government remains committed to the needed engagements that will lead to the approval and implementation of the new Conditions of Service,” he stated. However, he cautioned that the demands, absent from the 2025 budget, risk destabilizing the economy if enacted without adjustments. “The conditions of service under reference will completely throw the economy off-gear if implemented immediately in the manner it currently exists,” Akandoh explained, citing concerns over unbudgeted expenditures and past economic “slippages.”
The minister disclosed ongoing dialogues with GRNMA leaders, including a May 30 meeting to explore compromises. Despite a National Labour Commission injunction ordering workers back to hospitals, the strike persists, leaving patients without critical care.
The standoff hinges on balancing fiscal constraints with labor demands. While the government seeks phased implementation to safeguard budgetary stability, nurses insist on immediate action, framing the delays as a breach of trust.
