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We can’t honour all past commitments – Gov’t on nurses’ conditions of service demand

Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu has admitted that the government cannot fulfil every commitment made by previous administrations, including agreements on nurses’ conditions of service.

The Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese MP said this during an interview on PM Express on Tuesday, June 10, as the nationwide strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) entered a critical phase following failed talks with the Ministry of Health.

“The truth is we simply cannot continue with everything a previous government agreed to,” Mr Kwakye Ofosu said.

“There’s a reason why governments change. Governance must be responsible. And if you see that there is difficulty arising from a certain action by a previous government, you have a responsibility to take corrective measures.”

The GRNMA is on strike over government’s request to delay implementing new conditions of service until 2026.

The association has rejected that outright, saying nurses have waited long enough. But Kwakye Ofosu says government must act based on current economic realities, not inherited promises.

“It is true that government is a continuum,” he said, “but when we took over, we assessed the situation and the Finance Ministry’s view was that the required resources—some GH¢2 billion annually—would severely strain the national budget.”

He argued that it would be irresponsible to proceed with commitments that were not properly budgeted for, warning that doing so could destabilise the economy.

“We need a functioning economy before we can meet some of these demands. As the venerable Alhaji ABA Fuseini would say, ‘you need a head before you can chew corn.’”

Pressed by host Evans Mensah on why government didn’t make provisions for the agreement in the 2025 budget if it was part of the transition notes, Kwakye Ofosu replied, “You don’t put it in a budget merely because you’ve met it.

“Many things were in the pipeline when we took over, but we had to assess their impact. Some were not in our collective interest and were discontinued.”

He maintained that the GH¢2 billion figure—possibly even higher—cannot be absorbed given other public sector obligations.

“The question is: can the budget sustain it, considering there are other public sector workers whose needs we also have to meet?”

Mr Kwakye Ofosu admitted that the government had made a choice not to include the agreement in the 2025 budget.

But he insisted that the choice was justified. “Given that discussions had not been concluded and we had not reached a place where we could comfortably add it to the national budget, it was necessary to hold further deliberations. You can’t impose such a quantum of unbudgeted expenditure on yourself.”

He warned that doing so would return Ghana to the era of fiscal slippages and economic hardship. “We all saw the effects of unbudgeted spending—the deficits, the debts. That’s partly how we got here in the first place.”

Despite the stalemate, Mr Kwakye Ofosu said the government still hopes to engage the nurses.

“We haven’t taken a unilateral decision. We’re asking for further negotiations. We still hope they will come to the table.”

In the meantime, the government is directing patients to facilities not affected by the strike.

“The Health Minister has outlined options. Some facilities are private or structured differently, so their nurses are not part of the strike. Government’s duty is to ensure patients are not left stranded.”

The strike has left many hospitals and clinics without essential nursing staff, raising concerns about patient safety.

But Kwakye Ofosu says government cannot afford to collapse the national budget under pressure.

“We can’t throw the whole budget off-gear. That’s how we end up back in the same place that caused Ghanaians to demand change.”

Gov’t chose not to budget for nurses’ conditions of service – Kwakye Ofosu defends decision

Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu says the Mahama administration intentionally excluded the implementation of nurses’ new conditions of service from the 2025 budget.

The Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese MP explained that this was because negotiations with the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) had not yet concluded since the new administration took office.

Speaking Tuesday night on PM Express, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu justified the omission at a time when a nationwide strike by nurses and midwives continues to cripple healthcare delivery.

The strike follows a failed emergency meeting with the Ministry of Health, where the GRNMA rejected government’s proposal to defer the implementation of their new conditions of service until 2026.

“We chose not to budget for it because negotiations were incomplete,” Mr Kwakye Ofosu stated.

“Given that discussions had not been concluded and we had not arrived at a place where we could comfortably add it to the national budget, it was necessary to hold further deliberations.”

He argued that including the nurses’ package without a final agreement could have destabilised the fiscal framework.

“You can’t put that quantum of unbudgeted expenditure on yourself,” he warned.

“Otherwise, you throw the whole budget off gear. We’ll be back to square one—the same place Ghanaians were, for which reason they called for a change of captain.”

Kwakye Ofosu acknowledged that government respects the critical role of nurses but maintained that economic prudence must guide all decisions.

“We take the view that the conditions of service must be the subject of further engagement between government and the nurses, so that whatever outcomes are reached are satisfactory to both parties.”

Pressed by host Evans Mensah on why the current administration would renege on an agreement by the previous government, Kwakye Ofosu replied,

“Government is a continuum, yes. But there’s a reason why governments change. Governance must be conducted responsibly. If you see that there’s a difficulty arising from an action taken by a previous government, you have a responsibility to take corrective measures.”

He said that fiscal slippages, especially those caused by unbudgeted spending, had significantly contributed to Ghana’s economic troubles in recent years.

“One of the reasons we got to a place where hardships became pervasive in this country was fiscal slippages, which arose mostly from unbudgeted expenditure.”

According to Kwakye Ofosu, the Finance Ministry estimates the annual cost of implementing the nurses’ full conditions of service at GH¢2 billion, but some figures suggest it could be even higher.

He questioned whether such a commitment could be met without jeopardising the government’s ability to cater to other public sector demands.

“There are other categories of public sector workers who also have needs that government must meet. These are considerations that were factored into the equation.”

When asked why the agreement wasn’t honoured as part of the transition process, despite being in the handing-over notes, Kwakye Ofosu responded:

“You don’t put something in a budget merely because you’ve met it. There were many things the previous government was doing that we have not continued because we found that continuing them would be more deleterious than beneficial.”

As the strike bites, the government says it is taking steps to mitigate its impact. Kwakye Ofosu revealed that alternative healthcare facilities—public, private, and institutional—have been identified where nurses are not participating in the strike.

“The duty of government is to direct patients in that way so that they don’t suffer unduly, even as we take urgent steps to address this.”

He reiterated government’s willingness to return to the negotiation table.

“We still retain hope that they [the nurses] will do so. It is regrettable that they have had to call this industrial action.”

Despite the stand-off, Mr Kwakye Ofosu insisted government cannot act unilaterally.

“We know we cannot take unilateral decisions. We need to engage our social partners, and in this particular instance, it’s the nurses.”

Nurses’ strike: Gov’t not backtracking, we’re protecting economy from collapse – Kwakye Ofosu

Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu says the decision to delay implementation of the new conditions of service for nurses is not a backtrack but a necessary step to protect the economy from collapse.

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express Tuesday night, the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese MP said the administration is deeply concerned about the ongoing strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), but insisted that rushing to honour the agreement without a proper financial plan would be reckless.

“This is about saving the economy. You need a functioning economy before you can meet any of these demands,” he said.

“We cannot make commitments that will destroy the very system we need to fund essential services.”

The nurses’ strike entered its second day on Tuesday, after a crucial meeting with the Health Ministry collapsed on Monday.

At the heart of the impasse is government’s request to postpone implementation of their new conditions of service to 2026—a request GRNMA flatly rejected.

Mr Kwakye Ofosu justified the delay, saying the government assessed the fiscal implications and found the current terms untenable.

“The Deputy Finance Minister has pegged the annual cost at GH¢2 billion. I have seen estimates even higher than that. The question is, can the national budget absorb this, especially when other public sector workers also have legitimate needs?”

Pressed by host Evans Mensah on why government agreed to the terms only to attempt renegotiation, he argued that continuity in governance must be balanced with responsible management.

“Yes, government is a continuum. But there’s a reason why governments change. If something threatens the economy, you don’t follow it blindly. You take corrective measures,” he said.

He pushed back against suggestions that the government had acted in bad faith.

“You don’t put something in the budget just because it was agreed. Not when discussions were still ongoing and a final, fiscally sound position had not been reached. Otherwise, we’re back to square one—with deficits, debts, and no room to manoeuvre.”

Kwakye Ofosu also responded to criticism that government had months to plan but failed to budget for the deal.

“It wasn’t a simple oversight. It was a deliberate decision based on economic realities. We cannot afford unbudgeted expenditure of this magnitude.”

He stressed that the government is still committed to dialogue and urged the GRNMA to return to the negotiation table.

“We are not taking unilateral decisions. We need engagement. And we retain hope that they will come to the table.”

In the meantime, he said, steps have been taken to lessen the impact of the strike.

“The Health Minister has published a list of healthcare facilities where patients can still receive care. These include private and some institutional facilities whose nurses are not part of the strike.”

Kwakye Ofosu described the situation as unfortunate but insisted that preserving economic stability must take precedence.

“This is not about refusing to honour commitments. It’s about how to do so without wrecking the economy. That’s the hard truth.”

‘Over GH¢2bn cost too high’ – Gov’t defends delay to implement nurses’ deal

Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu says the state simply cannot afford the estimated ¢2 billion annual cost of implementing the new conditions of service demanded by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA).

The Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese MP insists that such a fiscal burden would derail the national budget.

Speaking on PM Express on Tuesday, June 10, he justified government’s controversial request to defer the implementation until 2026, a proposal the GRNMA has flatly rejected.

Nurses across the country have been on strike since Monday, June 9, following the breakdown of emergency talks with the Health Ministry.

“There are estimates, including one by the Deputy Finance Minister, that peg the cost at GH¢2 billion annually. I’ve seen some that are even higher,” Kwakye Ofosu said. “

The question is whether the national budget can absorb it. Especially when other categories of public sector workers also have needs.”

He argued that while the state respects the contribution of nurses and midwives, government must act responsibly to avoid pushing the country back into unsustainable debt and deficits.

“Ultimately, as the venerable Alhaji ABA Fuseini would say, you need a head before you can chew corn,” he noted. “We need a functioning economy, well-oiled, with the resources to meet demands like these.”

Kwakye Ofosu rejected the idea that government is turning its back on commitments made by the previous administration. Instead, he described the situation as a necessary re-evaluation.

“Government is a continuum, yes. But there’s a reason why governments change. Governance must be conducted responsibly. If there’s a difficulty arising out of an action by a previous administration, you have a duty to take corrective measures.”

When host Evans Mensah pressed him on why the commitment was not budgeted for despite being part of the transition process, Kwakye Ofosu replied, “You don’t put it in a budget just because you inherited it.

“Many things were in the pipeline, but when we assessed them, we found they would do more harm than good.”

He was emphatic about the implications of acting without budgetary room.

“You can’t place ₵2 billion in unbudgeted expenditure on yourself. You will record a deficit. That’s how we ended up with pervasive hardship and fiscal slippages in the past.”

Despite the standoff, he said the door remains open for dialogue.

“We cannot take unilateral decisions. We must engage our social partners—in this case, the nurses. We retain hope they will return to the table.”

Mr Kwakye Ofosu stressed that backroom negotiations are ongoing.

“We are engaged in efforts behind the scenes to resolve the impasse as quickly as possible, so nurses can return to post and deliver the essential services they are known for.”

In the meantime, he pointed to government contingency plans to protect patients.

“The Health Minister has announced alternative health facilities—both private and public—where patients can receive care. These facilities are staffed by nurses who are not part of the strike.”

He urged the GRNMA to consider the broader national picture.

“We need a mutually beneficial solution—one that satisfies nurses but also preserves Ghana’s economic stability. That is what responsible governance requires.”

Nurses’ strike: Gov’t won’t honour commitments that threaten fiscal stability – Kwakye Ofosu

The government will not honour any financial commitments, including those made by the previous administration, if doing so would threaten the fragile economic recovery, according to Felix Kwakye Ofosu, a spokesperson for the government.

Speaking on PM Express on JoyNews, Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese MP addressed the ongoing nationwide strike by members of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA).

He stated that although government respects their role, “you cannot spend what you don’t have.”

“We took over power, looked at the condition of service, and the Finance Ministry came to the view that the quantum of resources required to meet those conditions would create some difficulty for the national budget,” he said.

“So there was a need for further engagement,” he added.

He said the government had asked the GRNMA to accept a revised timeline, deferring the implementation of their conditions of service until 2026, a proposal the association has flatly rejected.

“The truth is, it is not in the 2025 budget,” he stressed. “To proceed with it would mean taking on an unbudgeted expenditure. That is a major risk we are not willing to take.”

According to Mr. Kwakye Ofosu, the estimated cost of the nurses’ demands is over GH¢2 billion annually, an amount he said government simply cannot absorb without creating a destabilising fiscal deficit.

“You don’t put something in the budget just because you’ve met it,” he said in response to questions about why the commitment, though part of the transition notes, was not reflected in the current financial plan.

“There are many things we inherited that we couldn’t continue because they were done irresponsibly.”

The MP emphasised that government is a continuum but not a blind executor of past decisions. “Governments change for a reason,” he said. “Where we see difficulty arising from a decision, we must correct course.”

He maintained that the government still hoped to engage the nurses and reach a new agreement that meets their expectations “to a significant extent” without compromising economic stability.

“We cannot take unilateral decisions,” he noted. “We need to engage our social partners. We still retain hope that the nurses will return to the negotiation table.”

On the impact of the strike, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu acknowledged the disruption and said measures were being taken to minimise patient risk.

He revealed that the Health Minister had directed patients to alternative health facilities not affected by the strike.

“These include private institutions and public facilities whose staff are not part of the industrial action,” he said.

The GRNMA’s strike followed a failed emergency meeting with the Ministry of Health on June 9.

The association has refused to accept government’s request to delay the enforcement of the agreed-upon conditions of service.

But Kwakye Ofosu defended the government’s position, warning against what he called “reckless financial decisions” that could undo years of economic correction.

“We all saw what happened when government after government racked up unbudgeted expenditures,” he said. “That’s how we ended up with the debt and the hardship. We can’t go back there.”

In his final remarks, the MP repeated the government’s stance: “We will not implement conditions of service that will throw the budget out of gear. We owe it to Ghanaians to be fiscally responsible.”

‘This is a new administration’ – Dr Pelpuo urges nurses to reconsider strike tactics

Labour Minister Dr. Rashid Pelpuo is calling on the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) to reconsider their ongoing nationwide strike.

The Wa Central MP urged them to recognise that the current leadership represents a new administration that deserves a chance to engage.

“Well, we are more than shocked. We are disturbed. We are worried that they could go into a decision of a strike without much talk with us,” Dr. Pelpuo said on PM Express.

“Because I believe very strongly that if they started what they said they started a year ago or two years ago, this is a new administration.”

Read also: Nurses’ strike continues as Health Ministry fails to reach agreement with GRNMA

The Minister said he believes the government is committed to rebuilding confidence and trust with labour groups, including nurses and midwives.

“We are doing everything we can to ensure we have a stable economy. We have a stable society. We work with workers to get their full support for how we can run this country,” he stated.

The nurses began their strike on Monday, following a breakdown in negotiations with the Ministry of Health.

At the heart of the standoff is the government’s request to postpone implementation of the new conditions of service until 2026, a demand the GRNMA has outrightly rejected.

Dr. Pelpuo revealed that he was not given the opportunity to meet the association ahead of the industrial action.

“I had a chat with the president of the Nurses and Midwives Association, and I was complaining that they did not have the chance, the opportunity. They did not create the opportunity for me to have an interaction with them before the strike,” he said.

He added that such prior engagement could have led to a different outcome.

“I informed her that I wish we had had some conversation after she had had those kinds of conversations with other sector ministers or other stakeholders.”

Though the strike remains unresolved, the Labour Minister is calling for reflection and restraint from the GRNMA.

Dr Rashid Pelpuo said government is willing to talk, and the doors remain open.

Striking nurses did not create opportunity to talk – Labour Minister tells Joy News

Labour and Employment Minister Dr. Rashid Pelpuo says he is “shocked and disturbed” by the strike action of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA).

The Wa Central MP is accusing the leadership of failing to engage his office before declaring the industrial action.

“We are more than shocked. We are disturbed. We are worried,” Dr. Pelpuo said in response to the ongoing nationwide strike by nurses and midwives.

“They could go into a decision to strike without much talk with us. And you know, by just what they have done…I believe very strongly that if they started what they said they have started a year ago or two years ago—this is a new administration.”

The strike follows a deadlock in an emergency meeting with the Ministry of Health. At the heart of the standoff is government’s request to postpone the implementation of new conditions of service for nurses until 2026.

A request the GRNMA has rejected.

But Dr. Pelpuo says he was never given the chance to engage directly with the Association before the action was declared.

“I had a chat with the president of the Nurses and Midwives Association, and I was complaining that they did not have the chance—the opportunity. They did not create the opportunity for me to have an interaction with them before the strike,” he revealed.

According to him, early dialogue could have averted the crisis.

“I informed her that I wish we had had some conversation after she had had those kinds of conversations with other sector ministers or other stakeholders.”

He stressed that the government is committed to stabilising the economy and improving labour relations, and needs the full support of public sector workers to achieve it.

“We are doing everything we can to ensure we have a stable economy. We have a stable society. We work with workers to get their full support for how we can run this country.”

Read also: Nurses’ strike continues as Health Ministry fails to reach agreement with GRNMA

Despite the strike already underway, Dr. Pelpuo says his doors remain open.

“We’re still ready to talk,” he implied during the interview. But he made clear the frustration at being sidelined before such a critical action was taken.

The GRNMA has said the government’s attempt to defer implementation of their agreed conditions of service is unacceptable.

Monday’s emergency meeting between the Association and the Ministry of Health ended without resolution.

‘We are more than shocked’ – Labour Minister worried over nurses’ strike without consultation

Labour Minister Dr Rashid Pelpuo says government is shocked and worried by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association’s (GRNMA) decision to embark on a nationwide strike without prior engagement with his office.

“Well, we are more than shocked. We are disturbed. We are worried that they could go into a decision of strike without much talk with us,” he said Monday night on JoyNews’ PM Express.

“For a moment, you hear nurses are going on strike.”

The Wa Central MP said the strike, which has disrupted public healthcare services across the country, came without adequate effort from GRNMA leadership to consult his outfit.

“I had a chat with the president of the nurses and midwives association,” Dr Pelpuo revealed.

Read also: Nurses’ strike continues as Health Ministry fails to reach agreement with GRNMA

“I was complaining that they did not have the chance, the opportunity. They did not create the opportunity for me to have an interaction with them before the strike.”

The nurses and midwives are protesting a government request to postpone implementation of their negotiated conditions of service until 2026—a proposal the GRNMA has flatly rejected.

The Labour Minister, however, believes the association acted too hastily, especially given the current economic conditions and efforts to engage with organised labour across the board.

“I believe very strongly that if they started what they said, they have started a year ago or two years ago, this is a new administration,” he said.

“We are doing everything we can to ensure we have a stable economy. We have a stable society. We work with workers to get their full support for how we can run this country.”

Dr Pelpuo said the strike undermines those efforts.

“I informed her that I wish we had had some conversation after she had had those kinds of conversations with other sector ministers or other stakeholders.”

Despite the impasse, the Minister indicated that government remains open to further dialogue and a peaceful resolution. But he insisted that proper engagement is the only path forward.

WHO extends health emergency for mpox as cases climb in West Africa

The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Monday of a rise in mpox infections in West Africa and cautioned that the virus could spread undetected to other regions.

As a result, the public health emergency declared for the disease remains in effect, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced in Geneva, following a recommendation from independent panel of health experts.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is transmitted through close physical contact. While infections are typically mild, causing fever and a rash, they can be fatal, particularly in young children and people with weakened immune systems.

The WHO declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in August 2024, the UN agency’s highest alert level.

The designation is intended to spur governments into action and mobilize resources. However, the WHO acknowledged “ongoing operational challenges” in surveillance, diagnosis and funding.

Since the start of 2024, more than 37,000 confirmed cases of mpox have been reported across 25 countries, with 125 deaths.

The Democratic Republic of Congo remains the epicentre of the outbreak, accounting for 60% of global cases. Between 2,000 and 3,000 new suspected cases are being reported there each week. Uganda, Burundi and Sierra Leone are also experiencing high case numbers.

Since the WHO last extended the emergency declaration in February, mpox has been reported for the first time in Albania, Ethiopia, Malawi, North Macedonia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Togo.