The immediate past President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Dr. Kwaku Asante-Krobea, has slammed the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, for mishandling the ongoing strike.

Dr. Asante-Krobea said the Minister’s actions and utterances have only worsened the situation and that his posture towards the striking nurses is disrespectful and unhelpful.

“I think the Minister owes the nurses an apology not for anything they did directly, but for the kind of treatment they’re receiving. The Minister’s commentary has been highly insulting. You don’t tell nurses to return for renegotiation in such a dismissive tone. It’s unfair,” he said.

He made this known in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem.

Dr. Asante-Krobea accused the Health Ministry of “playing games” with the nurses, adding that the ministry has not demonstrated seriousness in addressing their grievances.

“They know the issues, the solution is right in front of them. Even if you can’t offer everything the nurses are demanding, you can meet them halfway. That’s how leadership works,” he added.

His remarks come in the wake of a press conference held by the Health Minister on June 10, where Mr. Akandoh appealed to retired nurses and midwives to volunteer temporarily in the hospitals while the strike persists.

“Given the seriousness of the situation, government appeals to public-spirited retired nurses and midwives to volunteer their services for a brief period pending the resolution of the impasse,” Mr. Akandoh said at the event.

Dr. Asante-Krobea found this appeal inappropriate and accused the Minister of shifting blame.

“If patients are dying, it is not the nurses who are killing them. It is the Minister’s inaction and poor handling of the matter. Nurses are only demanding what is due them. There is no crime in that,” he stressed.

He further described the Minister’s comments as “very regrettable and insulting” and urged him to return to the negotiation table with pragmatic and respectful solutions.

“The Minister doesn’t understand solidarity. You don’t govern by issuing appeals that lack empathy. You sit down, you listen, you negotiate in good faith,” Dr. Asante-Krobea added.

He concluded by encouraging the nurses to remain resolute and firm in their demands while urging the government to adopt a more plausible and constructive approach to resolving the strike.