Ghanaians should forgive us - striking Pharmacists

Striking pharmacists of Government Hospitals across the country are appealing to Ghanaians to forgive them for the challenges they are faced with following their strike action.

Today September 13, 2016 marks exactly nine days the Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) laid down their tools in protest against what it described as persistent acts of injustice, unfairness and deliberate delay by the National Labour Commission (NLC), the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and its employers, the Government of Ghana in addressing its grievances on outstanding issues relating to the Interim Market Premium, Grade Structure and Placement and the Conditions of Service of our members.

On Abusua Nkomo hosted by Kwame Adinkra, Chairman of GHOSPA Agyemang Badu, said it is not the wish of the pharmacists to subject Ghanaians to this at various health posts.

“We are not happy we are on strike. We don’t want Ghanaians to see us as wicked people. It‘s not deliberate to punish Ghanaians. We just want the right things to be done to better the lives of our members”, he said.

He warned that until government shows commitment by way of documentation with a clear road-map on the implementation of the ruling and recommendations obtained, pharmacists are not prepared to call off the 9-day strike

“A number outstanding issues including; the Job Evaluation Review exercise and lately the Job Re-Evaluation exercise be used as a basis for the placement of pharmacists on the SSSS , existing relativities in the health sector which is backed by all previous job evaluations are upheld on the SSSS to ensure stability, equity and fairness, recommendation of the Cabinet Sub-Committee report on GHOSPA’s issues pertaining to the Grade Structure and Placement and the Interim Market Premium be adopted and implemented are yet to be resolved”, he added.