Business News of Wednesday, 16 May 2018
Source: Myjoyonline.com
2018-05-16
File photo
Labour Think tank, Health and Safety Ghana, is calling on Parliament to as a matter of urgency ratify the major International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions to protect the rights of workers in the country.
According to the think tank, many workers are being subjected to inhumane and hazardous treatment with meagre wages, making them prone to injuries and many health conditions.
At a sensitization workshop organized for employers and some employees in Cape Coast, the group urged workers to demand better work environmental conditions rather than sacrificing their health for money.
The group explained that in any labour relationship, employers are expected to provide safety devices for their employees to enable the employees to work in safety and in comfort but sadly, while many employers overlook their responsibilities under the labour laws, employees for the sake of protecting their jobs continue to work in hazardous environments.
This, according to labour and health think tank is affecting the health and safety of many workers in the country.
Programs Manager for Health and Safety Ghana and a lecturer at the University of Cape Coast, Prof. Victor Barku, intimates that Parliament should do the needful by ratifying the major ILO conventions.
“We have to continue the advocacy and continue to lobby our leaders to make sure that they ratify the major ILO conventions so that workers will have their rights protected. If this is not done, there will be a great difficulty.”
“This attitude of Yes Sir master must stop. You don’t sacrifice your health and safety just because of money. Even though you need to survive by working, you must not do it a peril of your life,” he stated.
Health and Safety Coordinator at the Electricity Company of Ghana in the Central Region, Engineer Yaw Asante, shared the health and safety practices at ECG.
He explains his company recorded 231 days accident-free incidents but had challenges with third parties that work hand-in-hand with the company.
“We have recorded no Industrial accidents for this whole year starting from the 13th of November. It is when we come to the 3rd party that is where we have issues. On that one, we are still embarking on education and sensitization to reduce such accidents,” he explained.
A lecturer at the Chemistry Department at the University of Cape Coast, Dr Francis Nsiah, called on employers to ensure they employ the qualified hands and give them the necessary training and tools to enhance safety practices.
“They have to provide the Personal Protective Equipment that is required for the safety of their employees. Employees are required to undergo training in order to be able to know their ‘left from their right,’” he said.