Kumasi demo won’t make any impact; go to Accra – Minister to Nurses

The Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Elizabeth Agyemang has told the Ghana Nurse- Midwife Trainees Association (GNMTA) that their series of protests in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi will not make any good impact.

Some unemployed bonded trained nurses Wednesday morning poured onto the streets of Kumasi protesting delayed postings and clearance.

The nurses who graduated in the year 2016 and 2017 are angry that government has not released financial clearance to facilitate their employment after two years of failed assurances.

The nurses in their hundreds matched from the jubilee park through to the Asafo labour roundabout and the central business district wielding placards and chanting songs.

The nurses submitted a petition to the regional coordinating council(RCC) to be forwarded to the presidency to address their concerns.

Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Elizabeth Agyemang addressing the leaders of the Association after receiving their petition directed the association to demonstrate in Accra if they want their concerns to be addressed.

According to the Minister demonstrating in Kumasi will never make any impact.

“You came here (Regional Coordinating Council RCC) last Friday August 31, 2018 and I told you to bring your petition. You even came to my house and brought me the petition and I gave it to the Chief of Staff. I told you that I don’t want you to walk on the street and demonstrate because Chief of Staff has promised to do what she can to help you and now again you are on the street demonstrating. If you give me this your petition where are my taking it to because you brought them to me and I have already given them out to the Chief of Staff, now where do you want me to send these ones? I told you that my Minister is not around and I don’t want to see people demonstrating while he is away. Why do you demonstrate in Kumasi and not Accra after all whatever you want will be done in Accra so why don’t you demonstrate in Accra but in Kumasi?” the angry Minister questioned leaders of the association.

The Minister added that “I will take your petitions but I don’t know where to send them to”.

However the Nurses have given the government an ultimatum of three (3) weeks effective September 5, 2018 to address their plight else they would have no option than to walk through the principal streets of Accra to the Jubilee house to register their displeasure to the President.