Graduate Nurses and Midwives Defy Heavy Rain to Demand Employment

Despite the heavy rainfall, members of the Graduate Unemployed Nurses and Midwives Association (GUNMA) took to the streets of Accra yesterday, 16th April 2024, vocalizing their frustrations over the prolonged delay in securing permanent employment and allowances. The group consists of graduates from 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Their dissatisfaction stems from what they perceive as government negligence, mainly directed at the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF) for failing to issue financial clearance for nine months, obstructing the pathway to permanent employment for nurses and midwives trained in accredited institutions since 2020.

Despite the weather conditions, the determined healthcare professionals started their demonstration at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, with full participation from Unemployed Nurses and Midwives across the country. Subsequently, they marched to the Ministry of Health, formally presented a petition outlining their requirements for speedy posting, and urged the government to pay their remaining trainee allowances.

The demonstrators proceeded to Parliament House, where they presented their petition to Ebenezer Djietror, the Deputy Clerk of Parliament.

In a conversation with Sarah Mensah, the public relations officer of the Graduate Unemployed Nurses and Midwives, She mentioned that the association had made several attempts to reach out to leadership to get them employed but to no avail, and that is why they decided to demonstrate on Tuesday, 16th April 2024.

With around 75,000 graduate nurses and midwives still without jobs across the country, their urgent situation needs quick attention from the government. Their resolve is a compelling reminder of the importance of advocating for fair treatment and employment opportunities in the healthcare sector. We hope their voices are heard, and necessary actions taken to resolve their concerns.

Find the entire conversation with Sarah Mensah below: