GRNMA urges government to exempt newly recruited nurses from public service recruitment suspension

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has called on the government to exclude newly recruited nurses from its directive suspending all public service appointments made after December 7, 2024. 

The association has warned that if the directive affects its members, it will initiate a series of industrial actions in solidarity with the affected nurses.

In a press release signed by its President, Mrs Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, and Secretary, Dr David Tenkorang-Twum, the GRNMA stressed that newly recruited nurses and midwives must remain at post, as they form the majority of Ghana’s healthcare workforce and are crucial to the functioning of the health system.

The statement follows a directive from the Chief of Staff at Jubilee House, dated February 10, 2025, referenced SCR/DA85/85/01/A, titled ‘Revocation of Appointments and Recruitments Made After December 7, 2024.’

Concerns over investigation process

The GRNMA disclosed that an emergency meeting of its National Executive Committee and National Council was initially held on 13th February 2025 to issue a press statement. However, the release was postponed following an emergency meeting convened by the Minister of Health, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to clarify the directive’s implications for nurses and midwives.

According to the Minister, the Ministry of Health (MoH) is conducting investigations into all public sector recruitments made after 7th December 2024 to identify irregularities in the hiring process. This investigation includes the recruitment of nurses and midwives, and its findings will be communicated to the GRNMA in due course.

GHS directive raises concerns

The Ghana Health Service (GHS), in a circular dated February 12, 2025, directed all divisional and regional health directors to suspend newly recruited nurses who had not yet been placed on the payroll as of January 2025. This move, according to the GRNMA, suggests that the Chief of Staff’s directive is already being implemented, raising concerns over its immediate impact on healthcare delivery.

GRNMA’s position

The association strongly argued that all nurses and midwives recruited after 7th December 2024 are qualified professionals who have undergone rigorous training and licensure. It emphasised that the recruitment process began with an application for financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance in mid-2024, leading to the hiring of the 2020 cohort of nurses and midwives who had completed their mandatory one-year internship.

The GRNMA contended that delays in payroll registration should not be grounds for suspension, adding, “If there is an investigation to be carried out, that process should be completed before the affected individuals are asked to go home and not suspended before the investigations are conducted.”

Impact on healthcare delivery

The association cautioned the government that the suspension of newly recruited nurses and midwives would have severe consequences on healthcare delivery. It highlighted the already dire nurse-to-patient ratios and the increasing burnout among health workers.

“More so, current emigration trends amongst Ghanaian nurses and midwives require more personnel to be recruited to strengthen the workforce,” the release stated, adding that removing newly recruited professionals from service would worsen the situation.

The GRNMA urged the government to reconsider its decision in good faith and exempt nurses and midwives from the directive, stating: “Government should allow our colleagues recruited after December 7, 2024, to stay at post and work because their services are essential in all the health facilities they work.”

Call for calm

The association advised all nurses and midwives to remain focused and await further directives from their leadership while monitoring developments on the matter closely.