The Parliamentary Select Committee on Employment, Labour Relations and Pensions has called for strict enforcement of Ghana’s Labour Law and increased resources for agencies under the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations.
This call was made during a familiarization visit to the Ministry and its key departments in Accra, part of Parliament’s oversight mandate to assess institutional effectiveness and policy implementation in the labour sector.
Led by Committee Chairman Mr. Joseph Appiah Boateng, the tour commenced at the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, where the committee was briefed on ongoing initiatives aimed at promoting decent work, employment creation, and labour market reforms.
Mr. Appiah Boateng emphasized the need for adequate resourcing: “For the Ministry to function optimally, it must be adequately resourced. Deliberate efforts are needed to strengthen labour enforcement and ensure agencies operate efficiently.”
At the Department of Co-operative Societies, Acting Registrar Mr. Kwabena Apraku Yeboah highlighted significant challenges, including land encroachment and inadequate staffing, which hinder the department’s effectiveness.
“We’re facing serious land encroachment issues and we simply don’t have enough staff to extend our services across the regions,” he stated.
During the visit to the Labour Department, officials reported challenges such as low public awareness of the Labour Law, delays in claims processing, poor documentation, and weak monitoring systems.
Similar bottlenecks were revealed by briefings from the Department of Factories Inspectorate and the National Labour Commission, including inadequate logistics, funding constraints, and limited technical capacity.
Mr. Appiah Boateng assured the agencies of Parliament’s support in addressing these issues. “Our mission is not only to monitor but to advocate for the reforms and resources you need to work effectively,” he affirmed. “We will present a report to Parliament with recommendations based on our observations.”
This visit is part of Parliament’s oversight responsibilities, aimed at enhancing collaboration and understanding of the operational challenges and policy priorities within Ghana’s labour sector.
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