Strike Action By Doctors Is �A Threat To Our National Security� � Deputy Interior Min

The deputy minister designate for the Interior Ministry, has criticized the strike action by doctors; describing the act as one that smacks of �illegalities� and a threat to the country�s national security. Hon. James Agalga described the current happenings as regrettable and reminded the doctors that they have overstepped the boundaries. He explained on Joy FM�s News File programme that parliament, in its wisdom enacted acts which makes services by the health practitioners an �essential� one and for that matter, was wrong for them to embark upon a strike action despite their demand for unpaid wages. �All those who render essential services should not be allowed to embark upon strike actions. Why is it so? It is so because when essential service providers embark upon strike actions, usually the consequences on society, you won�t be able to measure�, he said. Hon. James Agalga also proclaimed that there is an even serious human rights violation to the industrial action embarked upon by our doctors. �Doctors have decided to withdraw their services and yet we all know that the right to life is guaranteed�clearly you could see that there is even a threat to our national security because the right to life of our citizens which is guaranteed under our constitution, is not being respected�, he added. He was specific to state that our doctors, in a form of a group had conspired and �flouted� our labour laws. Mr. Agalga charged the Labour Commission and the Fair Wages and Salary Commission to be up and doing in responding responsibly to issues like the industrial unrest facing the nation.