Member of Parliament for Lambussie and Board Chair of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Prof. Titus Beyuo, has cautioned political actors and commentators against making divisive and unhelpful remarks during industrial actions, particularly those involving health sector workers.
The nationwide strike by members of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) severely disrupted healthcare delivery, causing substantial financial losses and crippling operations across the sector. Although the strike has been suspended and nurses have resumed duty, concerns remain over its lasting impact.
Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV on Saturday, June 21, 2025, Prof. Beyuo, who is also a former General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), stressed that politicising labour disputes complicates negotiations and undermines the legitimate grievances of workers.
“On the other side was that commentary around the strike was not helpful. And I will advise all persons, political persons, communicators, that when these things happen let’s be mindful of our commentary. It makes negotiations very difficult,” he said.
Prof. Beyuo expressed concern that some attempts to frame the recent strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) as politically motivated were disrespectful to the agency and reasoning of health professionals.
“People try to impugn political motives into the strikes, trying to think that the nurses didn’t have a mind of their own; no one will reason that way,” he noted, urging a balanced understanding of the perspectives of both government and labour.
He commended the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health for intervening in the matter, describing its involvement as a timely step toward defusing tensions and restoring dialogue.
“So it was good that the parliamentary select committee stepped in,” he said.
Looking ahead, Prof. Beyuo called for proactive engagement between government and labour unions to address grievances before they escalate into industrial actions.
“Going forward we hope that whatever the issues are we can sit and talk rather than get to this point where we go on a strike,” he added.