The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has drawn a firm line in the sand over its conditions of service, insisting that it will not return to the negotiation table.

According to the association, the terms were already thoroughly negotiated, mutually agreed upon, and officially signed — yet, to date, they remain unimplemented.

Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse show, General Secretary of the GRNMA, David Tenkorang, described the situation as one of deliberate inaction by the Ministry of Health, stressing that the association is not demanding anything new but simply calling for the enforcement of what has already been settled.

“The reason is very simple,” he said. “We negotiated our conditions of service. It was signed, sealed, and delivered — but it is not seeing implementation. All that we are asking the Ministry of Health is to approve the signed condition of service for implementation.”

During the interview, the host, Elton Brobbey, referenced a Tweet from the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Ministry of Health, which stated that the Ministry is operating an “open-door policy”, suggesting that stakeholders like the GRNMA should engage in dialogue rather than take entrenched positions.

But Mr Tenkorang firmly rejected this proposition.

“Discussion on what? We have negotiated, and our conditions of service are not open for renegotiations,” he said. “Perhaps that is what they are taking advantage of. Our case is very simple — we’re saying it has already been negotiated. All the government needs to do is approve it for the Controller and Accountant General to implement. There is no need to go and sit down again. To do what with it?”

He noted that although successive governments may come and go, the Ministry of Health, as the employer, has remained constant and therefore has no excuse for delaying implementation of the agreement.

“I am an opinion leader, and I often do not like to subscribe to the notion of 'government this' or 'government that'. We deal with the employer, and the employer is the same. The government may change, but the Ministry of Health hasn’t changed. Just because a new government is in place doesn't mean previously agreed terms should be curtailed.”

Mr Tenkorang emphasised that the Association’s demands are not excessive or unrealistic.

“We have had enough patience with this administration. They must turn their attention to our demands. These are not elastic demands — they are inelastic. They can be met easily. I don’t see why this should be dragged out.”

He recalled the pivotal role played by nurses and midwives during the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed disappointment that such dedication has not been rewarded.

“We are ready to work and protect our people. Even during COVID, we stood firm and provided essential services. That shows you how dedicated we are — we break our backs to bring smiles to the faces of Ghanaians.”

He also highlighted the growing exodus of nurses and midwives from Ghana, warning that those who remain are doing so at great personal sacrifice.

“There is no ban on us travelling — we can also go. But many of us have decided to stay and build Ghana. If people want us to continue putting our shoulders to the wheel to propel this country’s development, then the government must do the needful,” he concluded.