President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has urged nurses to leave the country if government goes ahead to implement the freeze on employment in the public service.
Perpetual Ofori Ampofo who appeared upset warned government to review the freeze employment without delay considering the staff deficit of health personnel in relation to Ghana’s population.
She expressed her anger during her interaction with OnuaOnline at the Dr Docia Kissieh Memorial Lecture in Accra Friday, November 25, 2022.
“…But looking at how things are going, maybe that is where people will look at where to focus their energies and move. Those that are working are even having challenges so if I can move there, do some top up and be gainfully employed, why not?
“You must remember these are individuals but they belong to families. Their families look up to them for support. It’s not that I’m encouraging a migration of nurses and midwives from Ghana but it is always the circumstances of the time that will push people to go outside and the exigencies of the time.
“The fact that there is a huge gap within the Europes and Americas and these countries are vigorously recruiting from Africa, no doubt that it’s not about what we say but those individuals will make those informed decisions themselves looking at the current circumstances they find themselves,” she explained.
Key in the 2023 budget is the freeze on civil and public sector sector recruitment from next year. This has angered the leadership of the GRNMA.
Already, more than 10,000 nurses and midwives are yet to be recruited. According to the Association, it has held numerous discussions with the Ministry of Health about the recruitment of unemployed nurses and midwives.
With the announcement of the freeze on employment president of the association perpetual ofori ampofo is angry.
“It’s grave source of worry for us because we have thousands of our younger colleagues already staying at home and having not been employed and these are issues we’ve talking about not only this year but as at last year and even from 2020.
“So when they were having all these conversations with the IMF we were expected some engagement that was why I was very disappointed at the time we were invited to the Jubilee House that we were not given the opportunity to have these frank discussions,” she lamented.
By Felix Anim-Appau/Daniel Opoku|Onuaonline.com
