Strengthening Ghana's Commitment on International Labour Standards

The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), recently organised a training session at the Best Western Plus Hotel in Nungua for 20 members of the National Tripartite Committee (NTC) and its Secretariat.

The two-day workshop which started from 22nd - 24th, August 2024 aimed to address the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR) comments in the 2023 Report on the application of International Labour Standards (ILS), which highlighted gaps in the NTC's capacity to report effectively on ILS.

Mr. Daniel Sakyi Asiedu, Esq., Head of the National Tripartite Secretariat who also represented Director Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Madam Gloria Bortele Noi stated that the importance of aligning Ghana's Labour Laws with international standards was a step in the right direction. He said, the session provided an opportunity to refresh participants' knowledge on the Labour Act 2003, (Act 651), focusing on critical areas where the Act is informed by ILS and revision of the Act 651 to reflect new provision such as Labour Clearance, Child Labour and the National Employment Coordinating Committee and its the role in generating employment data to inform national discourse.

Mr. Asiedu further explained that as part of the Ghanaian government's ongoing commitment to upholding international labour standards, the country is actively working towards the ratification of other relevant international conventions and engaging in capacity-building initiatives to support their effective implementation and domestication. He further stated that awareness creation remains a top priority, ensuring that all stakeholders are well-informed and engaged.

He added that there is constant collaboration with the Judicial Service to ensure that the interpretation of Ghana's Labour Laws are consistent with ILO Conventions and Recommendations thereby reinforcing the alignment of national laws with global standards. This training marks a significant step forward in strengthening the capacity of the NTC and its Secretariat, ultimately contributing to a more robust and compliant labour environment in Ghana, he emphasised.

In her opening remarks, the Ghana Project Coordinator for the Trade for Decent Work Project (T4DW), Dr. Akua Ofori Asumadu indicated that ILS are legal instruments drawn up by the ILOs constituents (governments, employers, and workers) and setting out basic principles and rights at work.

She said that the ILS may be either Conventions, Recommendations or Protocols that are legally binding as international treaties. The Conventions may be ratified by member States whiles recommendations are non-binding guidelines.

 Dr. Akua Asumadu pointed out that the training would provide comprehensive insights into key labour standards set by the ILO, focusing on building the NTC's capacity to participate effectively in Article 22 reporting.  According to her, Ghana, which has ratified several significant ILS, including those related to Freedom of Association, Collective Bargaining, Worst Forms of Child Labour, Maternity Protection, Abolition of Forced Labour, and Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) is committed to aligning its practices with international labour standards.

During the plenary sessions, participants discussed the overview of the International Labour Instruments, including Conventions, Recommendations, Protocols, and guidelines, as well as the processes involved in adopting and ratifying ILO Conventions and the reporting procedures for both ratified and unratified Conventions.

Attendees included representatives from the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, the Labour Department, National Labour Commission, Organized Labour groups such as the Trades Union Congress, the Ghana Federation of Labour, and the Forum, as well as the Ghana Employers' Association and the Attorney-General's Department.