The National Health Students Association of Ghana (NAHSAG) and the Coalition of Degree Allied Health Professional (CODAHP) are to stage another demonstration at the Ministry of Health.

The picketing dubbed #BoomPicketing, #NoworNever, is the second of its kind for the group and it is scheduled to take place on the 28 of September.

According Mr. Richard Osei-Yeboah, President of NAHSAG and leader of CODAHP, this second picketing has been necessitated by the continuous neglect of members of the association by the Ministry of Health.

“Since the last picketing, leadership and myself had followed up several times at the ministry but they are not ready to listen to us so I think the picketing will further advance our demand because this time the pressure will be intense on them,” he said.

He narrated that, the Chief Director’s office made it clear that Director for Human Resource has been instructed to work on their posting.

“The Director HR indicated he’s received the list and the cover letter so he’s studying it so we should come back after a week. We went there almost every Tuesday and Thursday for follow up and the response was either he’s gone for monitoring or he’s not at work till his leave was due and nobody could say anything about it except him. He resumed on 20th so whatever it is he must get something to tell us and I’m also aware he prepared a list for clearance and sent to the finance ministry before he went on leave but didn’t include ours.”

“We also petitioned the President and had a response on the 22nd of July via a phone call that the presidency has received our petition and we will receive a response. Information gathered inform us that the listening President has given instructions to MOH though we are yet to receive a copy of it. We would want the ministry to show commitment to sort us out, and we staging this picketing to demand clear timelines from the ministry failure of which will result in continuous picketing at the ministry,” he warned.

Background

The National Health Students Association of Ghana (NAHSAG) is a national representative body of all health students and fresh graduates in and from the various health training institutions and universities (public and private) across Ghana. With over 500 degree Allied Health Professionals currently seeking to be posted to practice in their various capacities, the CODAHP was birthed to demand for the employment of its members.

In a letter dated 28th February, 2017, by the Chief Director, the Ministry of Health showed commitment to concerns raised by the Coalition of Degree Allied Health Professionals and promised to expedite clearance processes for them to be employed. This is yet to be achieved

In May, NAHSAG demanded an urgent financial clearance for its members who have been left stranded years after graduation and requested for a policy a direction to expedite financial clearance for health trainees.

On the 6th of July, the group staged their first displeasure in a picketing at the Ministry of Health which was responded by PRO, and the Director of HR. This was followed up with a petition to the presidency on the 7th of same month.

According to the group all necessary documentations and data had been collated and submitted to the ministry as demanded but they have been languished as they watch the ministry obtain clearance for some group neglecting them for more than three years now.