GRNMA rejects political tag, insists strike was not politically driven
The General Secretary of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Dr David Tenkorang-Twum, has rejected claims that the association’s recent strike action was politically motivated, stressing the union’s apolitical stance.
Speaking on TV3’s The KeyPoints on Saturday, June 14, Dr Tenkorang-Twum said the GRNMA has consistently steered clear of political affiliations since its formation.
“We are not aligned with any political party. When GRNMA was formed, the Convention People’s Party (CPP) was in power, but today the CPP is a pale shadow of itself. In 2020, we went on strike under a different government,” he said.
His comments come in response to widespread speculation and criticism that the nationwide strike declared by nurses and midwives earlier this month had political undertones.
The GRNMA began industrial action on June 2, 2025, over the government’s failure to implement the 2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which had been signed a year earlier under the Akufo-Addo administration. The agreement included allowances for uniforms, license renewals, and incentives for its members who are posted to deprived areas.
The protest escalated from the wearing of red armbands to a full withdrawal of outpatient services between June 4 and June 8. Over 128,000 nurses and midwives across the country participated.
The National Labour Commission (NLC) declared the strike illegal and secured a court injunction, directing the association to return to the negotiation table with the Ministry of Health.
On Friday, June 13, the GRNMA suspended the strike following interventions from Parliament’s Select Committee on Health. In a statement signed by the President of the Association, Mrs Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, the GRNMA said the decision to step back was taken in consideration of the broader impact on patients.
“We do not take delight in seeing our patients suffer; however, we cannot take good care of others when the system does not take good care of us,” the statement read.
The GRNMA also condemned what it described as “misinformation, disinformation and propaganda” that clouded public understanding of their industrial action.
“We are nurses and midwives trained to provide essential health services to the Ghanaian population, and matters affecting us must be treated with urgency and in good faith,” the statement added.
Despite the temporary suspension, the association reiterated its demand for the immediate implementation of the 2024 CBA and stated that the decision to pause the strike was not a sign of surrender but a gesture of good faith to allow further dialogue.
A follow-up meeting between GRNMA leadership and Parliament’s Health Committee is scheduled for June 26, 2025.
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