We Are Ready For Prison � Medical Assoc.

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has slammed government's ex-parte motion against the ongoing strike, stating that its members are ready to face prison sentences for their actions. The government Friday secured an ex-parte motion to injunct the strike by 12 labour unions. Though the order was binding, the GMA wants to consult its lawyers for �exactly the way forward from tomorrow�, Dr. Frank Serebour, General Secretary of the GMA told Evans Mensah on Joy FM�s Top Story Monday. Government had already sued the labour unions claiming several reliefs including the fact that the strike is illegal and also surcharge them for cost resulting from their strike. But Dr. Serebour finds government�s resort to the ex-parte motion ludicrous. �I don�t think there is any leader of the Ghana Medical Association who is not law abiding, but more so, we are also not afraid to go to prison; after all, a lot of people have gone to prison in this country for things that they believe in.� He appeared livid on account of a press conference held by the Communications Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah which sought to suggest that the striking unions are uncaring, and restating government�s determination to enforce the rule of law. �Government deems it unconscionable that Ghanaians including women (pregnant and non-pregnant), children (neonates, infants and above), farmers, market women, drivers, artisans, journalists, traditional leaders, religious leaders, among others should suffer the deprivation of vital public services on account of the current strike action,� Dr. Omane Boamah said in his statement. �Government for me is quite funny and interesting, because for government to come out to say that they will use all legal means to enforce it and they are now falling on the law enforcement agency to do their work is interesting. We are in this country, rulings have been given [against the state] and government has not abided by them. So have they been arrested? So Omane Boamah suddenly has turned himself into a law enforcement agent? He is also a doctor, he should go to the consulting room and attend to the patients,� Dr. Serebour retorted. Dr. Serebour also condemned government�s sanctimonious approach to the strike. �When you hear people now preach as if they are so sanctimonious that they have never done anything untoward in this country before that is quite interesting.� Meanwhile, lawyer and former head of the National Labour Commission, Danso Acheampong has appealed to the striking workers to respect the court�s order and resume work.