News:
October 21, 2011
The Communication Director of the New Patriotic Party and Member of Parliament for Okaikoi South, Nana Akomea says it requires a decisive leadership from President Attah Mills to end the protracted strike by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA).
According to him, President Mills must personally intervene by calling on the doctors to resume work as he personally sees to the resolution of their grievances.
His comment comes on the back of the inconclusive meeting that was held between the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the Ghana Medical Association.
The impasse between the two bodies has resulted in the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) having to meet with the National Labour Commission (NLC) on Monday 24 October under a Compulsory Arbitration arrangement provided under Section 162 of the Labour Act to resolve their strike action.
The doctors have been on strike for a fortnight, a situation that has resulted in a number of deaths across the country.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme on Friday, Nana Akomea expressed displeasure about the lack of urgency of the government to tackle the strike action by the doctors.
He wondered why government could not find a way of still engaging the doctors in talks after the inconclusive talks yesterday only to wait for a compulsory arbitration to be called on Monday 24 October while the lives of patients are at stake.
Nana Akomea reiterated his call for the President to invite the leadership of GMA to impress upon them to resume work as he did in the case of the dismissal of Professor Frimpong Boateng.
“When doctors at the Cardiothoracic Center refused to render medical services to patients over the sack of their boss, the President personally intervened when he invited the doctors to a meeting, why can’t him do the same this time around when people are dying, whether you like him or not he’s the President and that office carries some honor ‘’ he said.
Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh