Ghana: Doctors Declare Indefinite Strike Over Sale Of 60 Per cent Shares Of SSNIT Hotels

Doctors in Ghana have announced an indefinite strike starting Monday, July 15, 2024. This decision follows a directive from Organised Labour, which has called for all workers in Ghana to stop working in protest against the sale of 60 per cent shares in four hotels of the state-owned Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).

As a member of Organised Labour, the GMA has indicated that its industrial action aims to pressure the government to cancel the deal.

In a statement released on Friday, July 12, 2024, the GMA outlined their plan for the strike. From July 15 to July 17, doctors will withdraw all Out Patient Department (OPD) services. From July 18 to July 21, they will halt emergency services. Starting July 22, they will suspend all medical services until SSNIT announces the deal’s cancellation involving the four hotels.

The strike action comes in response to Organised Labour’s broader opposition to the approval of the sale of the SSNIT hotels to Rock City Hotel Limited, a company owned by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.

The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, who also oversees Ghana’s pension sector, stated that the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) had approved the sale of the 60 per cent shares in the Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort, and Ridge Royal Hotel.

He clarified that the NPRA had only paused the sale process temporarily to address specific issues, which have now been resolved.

Despite this clarification, Organised Labour remains firm in its stance, arguing that the sale is not in the best interest of Ghanaian workers.

In a joint statement issued on July 12, 2024, Organised Labour reiterated its position, which had been communicated to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a meeting on June 25, 2024.

They have instructed all workers in Ghana to cease work from Monday until SSNIT announces the termination of the hotel shares sale.

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