In a statement, the UPNMG said that calls for the extension are necessary because owing to the fact that we are at the peak of the political season, the disregard for covid-19 safety protocols leading to the mass gathering of people has surged hence the risk of recording an overwhelming number of cases in the coming days have also become very high.
The UPNMG also said that due to the fact that Ghana is currently the country with the second highest number of confirmed covid-19 cases in the West and Central African region, the tax waiver when extended, will go a long way to motivate health workers so that they continue to do more.
In the statement, the UPNMG also eulogized nurses and midwives for the role they have played in ensuring that Ghana has achieved a high recovery rate with regard to the covid-19 cases.
Below is the full statement from the UPNMG:
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 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 COVID-19 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
JOHN AGBENYEAVU (0245243138)
NATIONAL PRO
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