Minority claims gov’t dismissed 8,634 Nurses in ‘real’ SONA

The Minority in Parliament has criticised the Akufo-Addo government for what it claims “represents a clear slap” in the face of jobless Ghanaian youth which would further deepen their anxiety and desperation, following government’s decision to throw out the recruitment of more than 8,600 nurses.

Addressing a press conference Wednesday in what they described as the real State of the Nation (SONA), Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu said these nurses had obtained the necessary financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance to be added to the public payroll and were awaiting the final step to land a job.

But government despite promising jobs has betrayed the 'honest belief' of these nurses many of whom may have bought into the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) campaign promises, Mr Iddrisu said.

“8,634 Nurses who had received financial clearance and had been employed in various public health institutions have been thrown out of their jobs by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government,” he said at the press conference.

The claims were part of a litany of issues put together by the Minority in its official reaction to the President's State of the Nation Address delivered to Parliament Tuesday.

Akufo-Addo in his maiden State of the Nation Address lamented that "for too many young people, unemployment is sadly the reality of the start to their adult life"

"We are now faced with the phenomenon of parents looking on in frustration as their grown-up children remain at home, without the means to strike an independent life by themselves."

He described the lack of jobs as "unprecedented", "debilitating" and a confidence-sapping problem among the youth.

Making good on its promise to provide what the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in parliament described as the 'real' state of the nation, the Minority leader surrounded by his caucus members read a speech highlighting neglected developments across the country.

The Minority expressed surprise that an ongoing process kickstarted by the former government with the goal of recruiting more than 20,000 nurses has been stopped.

Mr Iddrisu who was Labour minister under the erstwhile NDC government said this ministry had been working with the Ghana Registered Nurses Association to process applications for jobs.

"These are the young people they promised jobs," he said and stressed that "the young people do not care about which [government] gave financial clearance. What they want is bread and butter".

Furthermore, Mr Iddrisu said government also kicked out 65 police recruits who were undergoing training to join the service and dismissed some 590 other security personnel.

The dismissals also include 205 employees of National Service Scheme (NSS) and 110 middle-level staff of COCOBOD who have been asked to go home since the government took over on January 7, 2017.

These stopped recruitments and dismissals are all down the "petty partisanship" of the NPP government, the Minority leader said collating the job losses and disappointments at about 9,739 Ghanaians.

"God save this country," he expressed dismay and said the actions of the NPP government are reminiscent of the Busia-era government between 1969 and 1972.

The Minority also indicated that indicated that it was unpardonable for the President not to have touched on Housing, the security situation in Bimbilla, Sports, Tourism among others in the sessional address.

Additionally, they also stated that they hold the record for the highest ever growth rate in the history of Ghana when in 2011, the economy grew by 14.4% which at the time was the highest in the world. President’s condemnation of post-election violence was not enough.