Striking workers at the Pantang Psychiatric hospital have resolved to return to work following the intervention of the Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang Manu.
The minister reached a consensus with the private developer to temporarily halt building activities until there is a final solution.
His intervention is likely to end, at least for a moment, the industrial action embarked upon by the workers who are aggrieved over how their lands have been encroached upon.
The workers said the continued activities of the private developer breached the safety of the workers of the hospital and their clients.
They cited instances when workers of the hospital have been attacked by miscreants who have set up slums close to the private developer.
Worse still, they complained that some of the new settlers in these slums have begun selling marijuana, alcohol and other substances which patients of the hospital are supposed to be avoiding but are now easily getting access to them.
Several attempts to stop the private developer failed, they workers lamented.
In a move to register their protest and to stop the indiscriminate encroachment of their lands, the workers announced a road map for an industrial action aimed at forcing the hands of the authorities to take action on the issues they have raised for months.
“In our observations, none of the major hospitals such as 37, and Korle bu share boundaries with residential facilities and businesses.
“We have therefore resolved as follows; staff of the hospital will start a sit-down strike on Monday July 10, 2017 and follow it with a halt of the operations of the hospital on Wednesday July 12, 2017 and hit the streets if no action has been taken to address the situation and continue to stay away from the hospital until the situation is addressed,” Head of Staff at the hospital, Elvis Akuamoah warned.
The workers carried through their threats on Monday to Wednesday, withdrawing their services and embarking on a demonstration.
The series of industrial action came with unbearable consequences to patients and their families who had come to seek medical attention.
Their action appeared to have attracted the attention of the Minister of health who intervened on Wednesday.
After a meeting with the developer, a decision has been taken that construction will be halted until a final solution is reached on the matter of encroachment.
The workers have resolved to return to work on Thursday
Pantang workers resolve to return to work after Health Minister's intervention
-