President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has described the politicisation of nursing and teacher training incentives as a misguided approach that has weakened the long-term sustainability of Ghana’s healthcare and education systems.
Speaking in the aftermath of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association’s (GRNMA) nationwide strike on Channel One TV‘s The Big Issue on Saturday June 14, he argued that successive governments have “pampered” trainee nurses for political gain rather than investing in structural improvements and long-term workforce development.
“How have we treated nurses even when they are training—we’ve pampered them. Haven’t we?” Cudjoe asked, referencing past political decisions to reinstate or cancel trainee allowances.
“Politically, one party says—John Mahama—that he is not going to pay any nurses allowance. The opposition at the time used it against him. And when they came, they started paying and rewarding these entities. I have never understood that game.”
Cudjoe lamented the use of training allowances as political bait, warning that such short-term populist policies divert funds that could be better used to properly equip and reward fully qualified professionals.
“The moment we do these shifty politics and think we can garner votes through these freebies to a section of the population that do not require it, that do not need it, we should not be crying now that they have come back biting at us,” he said.
He further criticised both major political parties for engaging in this form of vote-buying, arguing that the funds could have been reserved for qualified nurses “who actually go through the grind” and contribute meaningfully to the healthcare sector.
Cudjoe’s comments follow the GRNMA’s decision to suspend a nationwide strike that began on June 9, 2025. The strike, triggered by the government’s proposal to delay implementation of newly negotiated conditions of service until 2026, brought significant disruptions to public healthcare facilities, particularly in emergency and maternity wards.
Despite early deadlock between GRNMA, the Ministry of Health, and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, growing public pressure pushed all parties back to the negotiation table. The strike was suspended on June 13 after the government gave fresh assurances to revisit the proposed timeline and continue discussions with the union.
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