Talks between the government and the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has hit a snag after the medical personnel refused to sign a frame work provided by the Health Ministry.
According to GMA, the document provided by the employer (government) had certain contents they had not seen before and were therefore not ready to commit themselves to something they had no knowledge about.
Dr. Justice Yankson Deputy General Secretary, GMA speaking on Asempa FM’S Ekosii Sen stated that, the medical association still stands by its decision to engage in a mass resignation from the Ministry of Health because government health workers across the country do not have conditions of service but would corporate with their employers till their ultimatum.
“We still hold on to our stance and so between now and 30th June our position is simple. We would corporate with the employer till the ultimatum”, he said.
He also added that the employer as it stands now has not engaged the medical personnel in negotiations on their conditions of service and because of that National Executive Council has decided to hold an extra ordinary general meeting to look at the way forward.
“As we speak there has not been any set date the employer has decided to engage in negotiations with us. The National Executive Council of the Medical Association has therefore decided to hold an Extra Ordinary meeting at the Ghana College Of Physicians And Surgeons on Monday 29th June, 2015 because the decision for the mass resignation was taken there so any other thing should be decided at a general assembly too”,Dr. Yankson noted.
Speaking on the commitment of the government to deal with the situation, the scribe of association posited that, “There is nothing to write home about. All they say frame work and we want all Ghanaians to know that without these conditions of service we are not going to go on this way” adding that “the employer has shown no regard for us and therefore it would be better to work somewhere our personal and professional development would be assured”.
Meanwhile Public Relation Officer (PRO) of the Ministry of Health, Tony Goodman has denied statements that the document provided by the employer had some new contents saying that, “There is nothing new in the document we gave to them because this situation is of national concern and we want a smooth running of the process”.
Speaking on the invitation of the media though the GMA was not aware he averred that, “What happened was that yesterday we were to sign conditions of service because the minister was informed that the doctors had agreed to sign the framework that was why the media was invited”. He however added that there would be a meeting today to see the way forward.
GMA served notice in November 2014 that they will resign en bloc if government fails to improve their conditions of service by July 1.
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