The Industrial and Labor Division of the High Court in Accra has placed an injunction on the nationwide strike declared by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA).
In an order for an interim injunction, the court, presided over by Justice Priscilla Dikro Ofori, described the strike as illegal and ordered the association to call it off with immediate effect.
The order by the court, which was granted last Thursday, followed an ex-parte application by the National Labor Commission (NLC).
The injunction will last for 10 days, following which the NLC has the option of applying for a further injunction from the court, but this time it can only do so by serving notice to GRNMA.
In the order, the court restrained GRNMA, its executives, officers, members, agents, servants, employees and other persons linked to them from carrying on with their illegal strike.
Context
The GRNMA had notified the NLC of its intent to embark on industrial action in a letter dated May 29, 2025, in protest of the delay in implementing its 2024 Collective Agreement.
The association accused the Ministry of Health and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) of failing to honor promises made to them, such as allowances, accommodation issues and workload.
However, the commission, invoking its powers under Section 138 of the Labor Act, 203 (Act 651), directed the association to suspend all planned actions — including wearing red bands and the eventual withdrawal of services — pending mediation.
While the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance appeared before the commission on June 4 for a scheduled meeting to iron out the issues, the GRNMA failed to attend and proceeded with the strike.
The NLC subsequently directed the GRNMA to immediately call off its strike and return to work after it declared the industrial action illegal, but the nurses and midwives failed to comply with the legal procedures required under Section 159 of the Labor Act.
Health Minister appeals
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has appealed to the GRNMA to call off the strike and engage in dialogue to find a lasting solution to their concerns.
He made the appeal during a working visit to health facilities in the Greater Accra Region last Thursday. He visited Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, LEKMA Hospital in Teshie and the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital), to impress on the nurses and midwives to end their industrial action.
Mr. Akandoh emphasized that the strike was significantly affecting healthcare delivery and worsening the suffering of patients.
Commitment to dialogue
The Health Minister acknowledged that the collective agreement at the heart of the dispute was inherited and was supposed to have been implemented last year.
Mr Akandoh assured the nurses and midwives that his doors remained open for discussions and that he was willing to engage with them at any time, saying he had met with the group more than six times since taking office about four months ago.
Observations during the minister’s visit showed a stark contrast to the usual bustling atmosphere at the Outpatient Department (OPD) sections of the visited hospitals.
The corridors, once teeming with patients, were eerily quiet, with only a handful present.
The usually busy OPD areas at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) and LEKMA Hospital, for instance, were largely deserted. However, patients already admitted to the hospitals’ wards were receiving attention from the limited number of professionals on duty.
Source: graphic.com.gh