The Industrial and Labour Division of the High Court in Accra halts a 10-day interim injunction against the nationwide strike declared by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), calling it illegal and ordering its immediate cessation.
The injunction, granted on Thursday, June 5, 2025, by Justice Priscilla Dikro Ofori, followed an ex-parte application filed by the National Labour Commission (NLC).
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The Court halts the leadership and membership of GRNMA to abandon the strike and resume work without delay.
“The respondent herein, its executives, officers, members, agents, servants, employees and other persons linked to the respondent are hereby injuncted or restrained from carrying on their illegal strike with immediate effect,” Justice Ofori ruled.
Legal blow to GRNMA
The Court halts nurses and midwives, along with all its affiliates — from continuing any form of industrial action for the next 10 days. After this period, the NLC may seek a further injunction if it wishes to continue legal restraint on the strike, but only by serving formal notice to the Association.
The injunction comes at a time when Ghana’s healthcare system is grappling with severe disruptions caused by the ongoing strike.
Dozens of major public hospitals across the country have reported critical staff shortages, abandoned wards, and overwhelmed doctors trying to manage without their nursing counterparts.
Protest over unfulfilled promises
The GRNMA had declared its intent to strike in a letter dated May 29, 2025, accusing the Ministry of Health and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) of failing to honour key provisions in a Collective Agreement signed in 2024.
Among the outstanding issues are allowances, accommodation concerns, and the increasing workload burdening nurses and midwives nationwide.
In response, the NLC invoked Section 138 of the Labour Act to order a suspension of all industrial actions — including the wearing of red armbands and the planned withdrawal of services — pending mediation.
While the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Finance honoured the NLC’s call and appeared for a scheduled mediation meeting on June 4, the GRNMA did not attend.
Instead, the Association went ahead with its planned strike, prompting the NLC to formally declare the action illegal and file for an injunction.
NLC: GRNMA violated labour law
The NLC maintains that the GRNMA failed to comply with Section 159 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), which outlines the legal processes for declaring a lawful strike.
By sidestepping these requirements, the Commission argued, the association compromised both public safety and legal order.
Following the High Court’s ruling, the Commission reaffirmed its directive for the GRNMA to immediately end the industrial action and return to work.
Strike threatens healthcare collapse
The Ministry of Health has also appealed to the striking nurses and midwives to resume work while negotiations continue.
In a public statement, the Ministry warned that the prolonged strike threatens to collapse the already overburdened public healthcare system.
“The ongoing strike action is taking a serious toll on health delivery,” a Ministry spokesperson said.
“We appeal to our nurses and midwives to reconsider and return to their stations for the sake of the patients and the country.”
Several hospitals have reportedly been forced to scale back operations.
Maternity wards are understaffed, outpatient departments overwhelmed, and essential services such as child health and immunisation campaigns have ground to a halt.
Uncertain days ahead
While the injunction may provide temporary relief to public health institutions and government agencies, it is unclear whether GRNMA will comply immediately.
The Association has yet to issue an official response following the court’s ruling.
Doctors and families alike are left hoping for a swift resolution to a crisis that has brought many hospitals to a virtual standstill.
The coming days will determine whether dialogue and the rule of law can restore calm — or whether deeper confrontation lies ahead.
