The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has issued a call to its members to participate in a nationwide strike, which is set to bring Public Health Services to a halt in the coming days. This decision comes in support of a strike organized by Organised Labour in protest against the approved sale of a 60 percent stake in four hotels owned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust.
The approved sale of the stake in hotels such as Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Resort to Rock City Hotel, owned by Food and Agriculture Minister, Bryan Acheampong, has sparked outrage among workers. The National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) has given the green light to this controversial plan, despite initial orders to halt the process.
According to the roadmap outlined by the GMA, members will progressively withdraw their services, starting with Out-Patient Department care from 15th to 17th July, followed by the withdrawal of Emergency Services from 18th to 21st July. The strike will culminate in the total withdrawal of all services by July 22.
Organised Labour has demanded the cancellation of the sale, citing that it is not in the best interest of Ghanaian workers. Dr. Yaw Baah, Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), has called on all workers to refrain from going to work starting Monday, July 15, until SSNIT publicly announces the termination of the sale process.
The strike action by both the GMA and Organised Labour highlights the growing tension and dissatisfaction among workers in Ghana. As the healthcare sector braces for a shutdown, the government and stakeholders will need to address the concerns raised to ensure the well-being of all workers in the country.
