Edward Omane Boamah, Deputy Information Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, National Security Coordinator, Lt. Col. Gbevlo-Lartey, and Fair Wages and Salaries Commission boss, George Smith Graham, to meet the doctors at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

But the meeting ended in a stalemate after government withdrew proposals it had offered to the Ghana Medical Association.

President of the Medical Association, Dr Emmanuel Adom-Winful told Joy News the government officials withdrew the proposal because, according to them, they could not meet the demands of the doctors.

“I went to Accra [and] they told me they have withdrawn those proposals because they cannot pay that… They brought in other proposals and I told them it was not necessary.”

He said the team of ministers further requested that they bargain on the best offer for both sides, but after agreeing on a proposal that he thought was a workable solution, Haruna Idrissu met with the other ministers and came out with the decision not to accept the proposal because the Finance Ministry could not pay that amount.

This notwithstanding, government is still optimistic that there will be a breakthrough when the doctors meet the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission on Monday.

Acting Health Minister Haruna Iddrisu who spoke to Joy News exclusively, appealed to the doctors to back down on their strike.

“We are calling on [the doctors] to heed the president's call to return back to work whiles we deal with the unresolved issues of grading structure, promotion pattern and marketing premium and related issues.”

He said government will offer the GMA a platform to meet with the Labour Commission to iron out their differences.


Story by Joy News/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana