Madam Perpetual Ofori Ampofo, the leader of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, has made it clear that her husband’s role as an NPP constituency chairman does not sway her decisions.
Her assertion comes at a time when nurses are preparing to launch industrial actions to support colleagues facing the fallout from a government directive targeting staff recruited during a recent transition period.
The directive, issued by the Chief of Staff at Jubilee House on February 10, 2025, calls for the revocation of appointments made after December 7, 2024. The move has already been felt on the ground, with the Ghana Health Service instructing regional health directors to suspend new recruits who have not yet been placed on the payroll as of January this year. In a press release co-signed by GRNMA Secretary Dr. David Tenkorang-Twum, the association emphasized that these newly recruited nurses and midwives are crucial to the nation’s healthcare system and must remain in their posts.
Critics from the National Democratic Congress have seized on Madam Ofori Ampofo’s familial connection to suggest political bias. However, she was quick to dismiss the allegations. “Yes, my husband is an NPP constituency chairman, but I am not registered to any political party. My decision to embark on a strike is solely in the interest of the nurses,” she explained during an interview on Oyerepa FM.
The situation is further complicated by ongoing investigations by the Ministry of Health into public sector recruitments made after December 2024. These probes aim to uncover any irregularities in the hiring process, particularly concerning nurses and midwives, and their outcomes could have far-reaching implications for the healthcare sector.
This unfolding crisis underscores a broader challenge within Ghana’s public health system—balancing administrative mandates with the operational needs of a workforce that is already under pressure. The directive and subsequent actions have sparked heated debate, drawing attention to long-standing issues of transparency and the sustainability of recruitment practices in a sector critical to national well-being.
In the midst of these developments, Madam Ofori Ampofo’s steadfast commitment to her profession serves as a reminder that decisions affecting the lives of healthcare professionals should be driven by their expertise and the pressing needs of the community rather than political affiliations. The coming weeks will be critical as stakeholders await the outcomes of the Ministry of Health’s investigations and consider the potential long-term impact on Ghana’s healthcare delivery.
