The Union of Professional Nurses and Midwives, Ghana, (UPNMG) has called for the extension of COVID-19 tax waivers for them up to December.

“A statement released by the Group on 16 September 2020 indicated that the extension will motivate the health workers to continue providing their services in controlling the spread of the coronavirus”.

“We thank the government for the tax exemption granted nurses and midwives and other health professionals from April 2020, which is expected to end in September 2020,” the statement indicated.

Inasmuch as we acknowledge this effort, we call on the government to extend the tax exemption to December 2020 and also consider capturing all nurses and midwives as frontline health workers to enjoy the 50% of their basic salary as allowance.

While acknowledging the government’s efforts “to control the spread and to ameliorate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nurses and Midwives”, the group envisaged a potential hike in recorded cases, citing the mass gathering of people involved in political activities ahead of the December polls and “the gross neglect of COVID-19 protocols coupled with the opening of our borders” as reasons.

The group further implored government to “fast track the negotiation process of the condition of service for nurses and midwives which has been ongoing for some time now.”

PRESS RELEASE

A CALL FOR THE EXTENSION OF COVID-19 TAX WAIVER FOR NURSES AND MIDWIVES

The Union of Professional Nurses and Midwives, Ghana (UPNMG) acknowledges the effort by government to control the spread and to ameliorate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nurses and Midwives who put their lives on the line whiles other professionals were asked to stay at home.

Considering that political parties are at the peak of their political rallies, the mass gathering of people and the gross neglect of COVID-19 protocols coupled with the opening of our borders, point to only one direction, the country risks recording an overwhelming number of cases in the coming days if care is not taken.

UPNMG commends our gallant nurses and midwives who are out there putting their lives on the line to ensure that Ghanaians are safe. The history of Ghana can never be complete without the mention of the role we played in keeping the country and her citizens safe during the peak of the pandemic.

Ghana’s case count as at today, stands at 45,655 with 44,797 recoveries and 294 deaths. This high recovery rate can only be explained by the efforts of our hard-working Nurses and Midwives as well as other health professionals. We thank the government for the tax exemption granted nurses and midwives and other health professionals from April 2020 which is expected to end in September 2020. In as much as we acknowledge this effort, we call on government to extend the tax exemption to December 2020 and also consider capturing all Nurses and Midwives as frontline health workers to enjoy the 50% of their basic salary as allowance.

The extension of the tax waiver to December 2020 is justified by the number of COVID-19 cases recorded in Ghana and the fact that Ghana currently has the second highest number of confirmed cases of COVID19 in the West and Central African Regions. The extension will go a long way to motivate health workers to continue to do more. We would like to also use this opportunity to implore the government to fast track the negotiation process of the condition of service for nurses and midwives which has been ongoing for some time now.

Thank you