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General News of Thursday, 13 August 2015

Source: tv3network.com

Okyehene to GMA: Ignore the comments and reconsider

Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin

The Paramount Chief of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council and President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin has asked the Ghana Medical Association to ignore provocative comments from some government communicators and return to work .

Commenting on the GMA strike at the Ghana Medical Association's national executive council meeting in Koforidua, the Okyehene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin said inasmuch as times were tough for the association, they needed to be merciful.

"You shouldn't pay much attention to comments by some government communicators in defense of your economic and your professional right. I agree that you have to speak for yourselves".

The traditional leader urged the medical personnel to support a continuous peaceful negotiation process on their conditions of service.

"I am appealing to you to exercise the full measure of mercy under this difficult conditions; but I would like you to remember one thing; that God is only concerned with what you do right and not what others do wrong; therefore, eminent doctors, I implore you to exercise restraint and accommodation and ensure peaceful resolution of your differences with government".

The Ghana Medical Association has been on strike for about two weeks now over stalled negotiations on conditions of service.

The doctors have refused to yield to pressure to resume work and go back to negotiations table as they stick to their roadmap which could see them resigning en masse soon.

Meanwhile, President Mahama has described the strike as illegal insisting the doctors must return to the negotiation table.

Patients have been turned away from various health facilities, leading to death in some cases.

A few public health facilities that are functioning have also been inundated with patients.

The Ghana Medical Association is expected to take its next line of action at a general meeting expected on Friday, August 14 after government presented them with a counter proposal on their conditions of service.