Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, has told privately trained nurses who have been picketing at the health ministry for two days now that they cannot be employed, even if they put a knife to his throat.
The Coalition for unemployed Private Nurses Association stormed the Ministry of Health on Monday, July 31 to demand postings.
According to the unemployed nurses, numbering over 300, they have been discriminated against since 2010.
Addressing the nurses at the health Ministry, Mr. Agyeman-Manu said there is nothing he can do about their situation.
“I have told you that before I assumed office as the Health Minister, the financial clearance has been issued with names of people already on it, and it makes your situation bad.
“So as it stands now I cannot change it but I have begun processes to have privately trained nurses employed but the financial clearance is not here. As I stand here now even if you put a knife to my throat I cannot employ you because I don’t have the financial clearance”.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the protesting nurses Doreen Boateng has expressed worry over the utterances of the minister.
“In fact, it’s a problem, how can a whole father of health tell us that even if we put a knife at his throat there is nothing he could do for us.”
She added that they will continue to picket until their demands are met.
“We are going to be there because we think that they are not telling us the truth, until they come out to assure us to come back at a particular date we will adhere, but if they just give us verbal promises, we will continue to loiter around.”
Source: StarrFmonline
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The minister should have chosen his words well. Now these nurses have been waiting from 2012 and they did not picket the ministries. Even if they were promised employment can govt. employ all of them? There are private hospitals too. Please let us be realistic. Picketing is not the solution. Let them try other avenues too. Let us be sober-minded.
these nurses were paid in their own coins ok. ***barred word*** and stay in the house. You insult the past govt without thinking.
Is Agyemeng-Manu NPP's equivalent of NDC Mahama's dead-goat syndrome? He sounds more like a drunk. Is it arrogance, superiority complex or outright disrespect for the nurses? Ghana adores sending pre-high school kids placed in private schools or prep schools but shun private secondary and tertiary institutions/schools. I do not pin this embarrassing stance on one particular party in Ghana, but rather individual traits that pops up once they occupy high offices. Agyeman-Manu, the Ministry of Health is not your private work place, its a public office. If you are not comfortable speaking and dealing with your prospective nurses under your Ministry, just resign and go away. Stop talking down to these poor trained nurses and respect your code of office. That office you occupy is not permanent and is bigger than all who came before you and those to come after you. Stop your arrogance. The days of "don't you know who am I" is gone and is been so since the overthrow of the SMC I & II. This is a new day in Ghana. Folks like you will cause disaffection for Nana Akuffo Addo and NPP. Public service is not a chieftain. Show respect to the unemployed nurses and set up clear cut policy directions to find them job placement. Some can be encouraged to work or transition into guest worker exchange programs in places like UK, Namibia, Australia or wherever they are needed. Stop insulting these poor unemployed nurses. Some Akuffo Addo appointees are acting like NPP is governing from opposition. Ms Frema and the Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Marfo, you need to do more in appraising the work of your ministers. Agyemeng-Manu will rather give a slap on the back hands of the poisoned marauding invisible thugs and the so-called delta rogues. Being a nurse has no party affiliation; they are neither CPPists, UGCC/NPP or NDCists. They too are also Ghanaians whose fortunes were affected by the most corrupt practices of John Deawou Mahama II, AKA, dead-goat. Cm'on now Mr. Minister, show tolerance and learn to speak well in public. Those unemployed nurses are not your subjects. Dialogue with them and help them find creative alternate avenues. Nana Akuffo Addo over too you. I hope you are penciling down those who will be reshuffled in your next move. NPP over to you, the arrogance of some of the president's appointees. We kicked the out of step NDC from its uncontrollable corruption and loot as if there was no tomorrow. Mahama will have no shame if he decided to run again. We will make sure he does not garner even 23% this time round. Dialogue with the nurses and stop insulting their intelligence. Mr Agyeman-Manu your actions and inactions are unbecoming of a public office holder. Resign if the job is too much for you to handle.
Hahahaahh myopic Ghanaians abhor the truth,The minister has been bold to tell the truth and the myopic ones are up in arms. Again mother Ghana needs strong leaders like this Minister.
Hi Minister Could you explain why you need to use such an unprofessional and disheartening statement to express your inability to assist the needy ones. This statement is untoward and unministerial and does not show any sense of empathy Yes, you want to be candid but this statement is just not good for your calibre, please be advised. They all belong to the nursing industry and their services are needed whether they were trained in public or private institutions. Both the public and private sectors make up the economy, ask and astute economist. We live overseas and when such statement are made we feel all is not well back home and something like this advice, is quite handy for correction and progress thanks
Danduruwa next time vote for big promises. When they promised you heaven, you shouted change. Change has come. Again danduruwa
These are the people we call leaders? Ghana abre3!!! if they are not regarded as nurses, then the nursing board should close the private nursing schools, period!!!
bad communication. this guy must be fired. you are now the minister and saying you cant do anything about it, what do u want them to do.
What truth are they talking about? The man has just told you the plain truth. He cant employ you now even if you put a knife at his throat. Bold Minister like that. Go and picket at your training institutions .
Lawyers should also go and picket at the Attorney General's office and demand to be employed. Those who studied Engineering should go to the Ministry of Science and Tech. Agriculturists should go to the Ministry of Agriculture, those who studied banking should go to the Bank of Ghana and demand to be employed... and the list goes on.