The Union of Professional Nurses and Midwives, Ghana (UPNMG) has ended a two-day training workshop for some unemployed Nurses and Midwives.

The essence of the training, which took place in Kumasi and began May 31, 2022 to June 1, 2022, was to equip the nurses and midwives with the necessary administrative skills needed to enable them efficiently man the union’s regional offices.

The workshop was also done to make the nurses and midwives familiar with the union’s mode of operation.

The training was led by the union’s National 1st Vice President, Mr. Emmanuel Ataridena, who revealed the union’s desire to cause a paradigm shift in the modus operandi of labor unions.

Mr. Ataridena intimated that aside negotiating with government for better conditions of service, labor unions can also consider reducingthe pressure on government by taking steps to ensure that it creates employment and he indicated the UPNMG’s preparedness to champion this cause.

Mr. Ataridena said;

“The responsibility of the unions within the profession is not only fighting the government for pay rise but also to put in steps to reduce the pressure mounted on the government by unemployed nurses and midwives.

“Even though the union doesn’t have the capacity to employ all the nurses and midwives in Ghana, we are certain that this move will help the few who got the opportunity.”

To curb the rising rate of unemployment in the health sector, Mr. Ataridena indicated that the Union has a future plan of putting up hospitals to provide job opportunities for the unemployed.

One of the participants in the training expressed gratitude to the UPNMG for giving her the opportunity to learn some employable skills, called for other unions to replicate same and went on to praise the leadership of the UPNMG for the brilliant initiative.

The Administrator of the Union, Mr. George Sarpong spoke to the media after the training and stated that, the union’s position on helping unemployed nurses and midwives has not changed and that the union will continue to support them [the unemployed ones].

“This is just the beginning and we will do a lot more to help,” Mr. Sarpong said.