Negotiations with nurses: Bipartisan position commendable — Oppong Nkrumah

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has commended the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the Health Committee for demonstrating exemplary leadership in helping to end the strike action by nurses.

He said the good leadership by Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane and Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, two medical practitioners, helped Parliament to adopt a bipartisan position to call both sides to consider the strike “in a slightly different light”.

“Parliament is often thought of as a House for debate and legislation and oversight but it is refreshing to see that in turbulent times when it appears sometimes that the traditional actors are having difficulties, Parliament also has the capacity to intervene and to create that safe space for negotiation and resolution of difficult matters,” he said.

Neutral arbiters

Contributing to a briefing by the Chairman of the Health Committee on the negotiation the committee had with nurses last Thursday, Mr Nkrumah said it was refreshing for Dr Nawaane and Dr Afriyie to put up the posture of neutral arbiters.

“People see us sometimes arguing and debating among ourselves and opposing each other.”

“In previous times, we have had very unhealthy scenes even here in the Chamber but it is refreshing to see that in times of difficulty like this, Parliament can intervene and create that space that allows for some discussions and for people to pull back,” he said.

In the view of Mr Nkrumah, the decision of the nurses and midwives to end their strike actions and return to post was worthy of praise.

The gesture, he said, was aimed at stopping the “escalating numbers in the mortuaries”.

“It was getting very scary and so we are very grateful to them that though they have legitimate issues to raise they have decided to take a step back even as further engagements go on,” he said.

He was happy that Parliament showed worthy leadership in a turbulent moment and helped to end the strike action.

Brokering deal

Dr Nawaane earlier briefed the House on the negotiations the members of the committee had with nurses last Thursday.

He said the meeting was attended by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh; a Deputy Minister of Finance, and representatives from the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.

“We also had the Majority Leader who came to assist us broker a deal with the nurses,” he said.

Dr Nawaane expressed happiness that the ability of the committee to demonstrate the posture of “neutral arbiters” paved the way for brokering a deal with the nurses.

“But that is not the end and we need to continue to fight to ensure that the Executive will listen to their concerns,” he said.