Ghana’s former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, has in a meeting with the leadership of the Ghana Registered Midwives Association (GRMA) charged midwives and other medical professionals to hold onto their values in spite of the difficult economic circumstances brought on by the savagery and corruption of capitalism.

He decried how the savagery of capitalism has brought in its wake huge difficulties that are destroying human values but prayed that despite the challenges midwives will continue to exhibit compassion in their chosen profession.

The leadership of the GRMA called on President Rawlings on Wednesday to invite him as Guest of Honour, to the climax of the 80^th anniversary celebrations of the association to be held in August 2015.

The former President also described as immoral the upsurge in decapitations and the use of children for suicide bombings by Boko Haram and related movements.

He said: No matter the justification for waging war against the savagery and corruption of capitalism; no matter the justification for waging war against the persecution of Palestinians, there is no justification for the misuse of 7-year-old children in suicide killing nor is there justification for the brutal beheading of people or carving out their hearts in this war.”

Former First Lady and President of the 31^st December Women’s Movement, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings questioned the rationale behind the institutionalization of the concept of protocol allocation in nurses training colleges, universities and security services admissions and linked it directly to the poor quality of professionals found in hospitals and other institutions.

Nana Konadu said: “As a nation we should look for competence rather than bring mediocre people to fit them into certain positions at all cost. People should be qualified and competent enough before being offered opportunities. It is bringing our educational system down. If people do not have a passion for the profession there is no need to bring them in through the protocol quota system.”

The Ghana Registered Midwives Association, parent organization of all public and private sector midwives in the country launched its anniversary celebrations in 2014 and has been embarking on monthly programmes including medical screenings, cleanup exercises and media open days. 

The association intends to honour the former President during the August event for the efforts his government put in place during his tenure as Head of State to uplift its status.

The delegation which was led by Madam Benedicta Kissi, Chairperson of the Anniversary Planning Committee and the association’s President, Joyce Jetua commended President and Mrs. Rawlings for the diverse efforts they made in recognizing the worth of nurses and midwives.