Mrs Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has called on unemployed nurses and midwives to avoid picketing at the Ministry of Health (MoH) to demand financial clearance.

She noted that newly trained nurses and midwives across the country who were yet to receive financial clearance, usually picketed at the premises of the MoH with red bands and placards with various inscriptions to draw the attention of stakeholders.

"We keep telling our young comrades there is no need for picketing. Picketing will not bring about financial clearance. You just go and stand in the sun and waste your time," she said.

Mrs Ofori-Ampofo said this when she addressed members of the GRNMA in Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital as part of her visit to the Region to interact with them and discuss a wide range of issues of concern to members.

She assured the newly trained nurses and midwives that the leadership of the Association was following up with the MoH to ensure that they were financially cleared as their particulars had been captured in the system of the Ministry.

"Now that the Deputy Minister has been appointed, we can be sure that those who are awaiting financial clearance will be worked on", she added.

She said even though the Association had not relented on pushing for financial clearance for nurses and midwives, leadership had no control over financial clearance, except to intervene at the level of the MoH.

Mrs Ofori-Ampofo told the members that "We are there to support, we have unemployed nurses and midwives, but we are praying that we will come to a level where there will be no more unemployed nurses in the system."

She advised members, especially Enrolled Nurses who were not on the National Service Scheme and had to wait for several years before they got posted to health facilities to consider offering voluntary services at health facilities.

This, the GRNMA President said would help sharpen and equip them with the needed skills and experience for full employment in the government sector.

Mr David Tenkorang-Twum, the General Secretary of the GRNMA reiterated the need for newly trained nurses awaiting postings to engage in voluntary service at health care facilities, and said such voluntary services added up to their years of experience to easily gain employment.

Mr Tenkorang-Twum emphasized that the Association would continue to negotiate and dialogue with the MoH for its members on issues of salaries and upgrades, and called on members to be patient as leadership worked to have their issues addressed.

"Negotiation is a process, but we can assure you that as leaders, we will continue to push for your interest," the General Secretary said.