Government should allow our colleagues to stay at post – GRNMA urges exemption of newly recruited nurses

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has called on the government to exclude newly recruited nurses and midwives from its directive suspending all public service appointments made after December 7, 2024.

The association warned that if the directive affects its members, it will embark on a series of industrial actions in solidarity with the affected nurses.

In a press release signed by President Mrs Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo and Secretary Dr David Tenkorang-Twum, the GRNMA emphasized that these newly recruited professionals play a crucial role in Ghana’s healthcare system and must remain at post.

The association’s statement follows a February 10, 2025, directive from the Chief of Staff at Jubilee House, referenced SCR/DA85/85/01/A, which revoked all public sector recruitments and appointments made after December 7, 2024.

The GRNMA revealed that its National Executive Committee and National Council initially convened an emergency meeting on February 13, 2025, to issue a response but postponed it after an urgent meeting with the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.

According to the Minister, the Ministry of Health (MoH) is currently investigating all public sector recruitments made after December 7, 2024, to identify any irregularities. The findings will be communicated to the GRNMA in due course.

However, a February 12, 2025, circular from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) directed all divisional and regional health directors to suspend newly recruited nurses who had not yet been placed on the payroll as of January 2025.

The GRNMA noted that this move suggests that the Chief of Staff’s directive is already being implemented, raising concerns over its immediate impact on healthcare delivery.

The association strongly maintained that all affected nurses and midwives are fully qualified professionals who have undergone rigorous training and licensure.

It explained that the recruitment process started with an application for financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance in mid-2024, leading to the hiring of the 2020 cohort of nurses and midwives who had completed their mandatory one-year internship.

The GRNMA argued that delays in payroll registration should not be grounds for suspension, insisting that investigations into the recruitment process must be concluded before any suspensions are enforced.

“If there is an investigation to be carried out, that process should be completed before the affected individuals are asked to go home and not suspended before the investigations are conducted,” the statement read.

The association warned that suspending newly recruited nurses would worsen Ghana’s already fragile healthcare system, exacerbating nurse-to-patient ratios and worker burnout.

It also highlighted the ongoing mass emigration of Ghanaian nurses, stressing that the country needs more personnel, not fewer.

The GRNMA urged the government to reconsider its decision and allow the affected nurses to remain at post, stating:

“Government should allow our colleagues recruited after December 7, 2024, to stay at post and work because their services are essential in all the health facilities they work.”

The association further called on its members to remain calm and focused, assuring them that it is closely monitoring developments and will issue further directives as necessary.