NHC Adds Its Voice To Calls To End Doctors� Strike

Members of the National House of Chiefs (NHC) have joined in the call on doctors to end their strike, while also appealing to government to expedite action in resolving the impasse. Calling on the Employment and Labour Relations Minister on Friday, the President of the NHC, Naa Professor John S. Nabila noted that more lives were being lost due to the strike, which had become a much concern for them as chiefs. He said they were prepared to become partners in helping find a lasting solution to the problem. He said the NHC was aware government was working to solve the problem but urged it to step up efforts at getting the doctors back to work. The President of NHC promised to also meet the leadership of the Ghana Medical Association next week to discuss the way forward. Nana S.K.B Asante, Former President of the Academy of Arts and Sciences, who is also a member of the House, added that the chiefs in various communities were worried of innocent lives being lost, hence the decision for NHC to add their voice to the call to end the strike. The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Nii Armah Ashitey said government was concerned too and was doing everything within its jurisdiction to find lasting solution to the problem. He expressed gratitude to the NHC for stepping in to appeal to the doctors to call off the strike. The doctors� strike started over three weeks ago. Since then several groups and individuals including civil society and former United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan have appealed to them to call off the strike and return to the negotiation table. They are asking the Government and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to address disparities in their placement on the Single Spine and Salary Structure (SSSS) and payment of arrears for their market premium.