The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has served notice that it will embark on a strike should the government fail to implement their signed Conditions of Service (CoS) by February 29, 2020.
An internal memo dated February 21, 2020, and jointly signed by the President of GMA, Dr. Frank Ankobea and General Secretary, Dr. Justice Yankson, said that although the implementation date for the signed Conditions of Service document was 1st January 2020 as agreed by all parties, government had failed to meet the deadline.
“The Association has accordingly given the government up to Saturday, 29th February 2020 to ensure full implementation (including payment of all occasioned arrears) of the CoS document at both the National and facility levels. If any default on the part of Government occurs Vis-à-vis the stated deadline, there shall be immediate withdrawal of all services by members in all facilities,” the memo warned.
The National Executive Committee of the Medical Association also observed that during the validation of February salaries, there was the absence of fuel allowance on the payslips of members; and urged members to put all discrepancies on notice for rectification.
In separate letters addressed to the Ministers for Health, and Employment and Labour Relations, the Association expressed grave concern over the development.
Both letters said the Conditions of Service document implementation has not taken place both at the National and facility levels despite numerous calls on the government to do so.
The Ghana Medical Association in July 2015 embarked on a 3-week strike over the absence of a codified condition of service.
The doctors called off the strike to return to the negotiation table and finally signed the agreement on the Conditions of Service between the association and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission in November 2019.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri