Minister of Employment, Works and Housing, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, has hinted that the country will soon have a policy that would regulate the export of labour to other countries.
According to the sector minister, the proposed Ghana International Labour Migration Policy, currently before Parliament sub-committee, will curb illegal labour migration and ensure the welfare of Ghanaian labour migrants, when approved.
“Just recently I lead a team from my ministry to meet the Parliament sub-committee to discuss the labour migration concept. If it sees the favour of Cabinet, then very soon, we will have the Ghana International Labour Migration Policy which will seek to regulate Ghanaians that are working outside,” Mr Baffour Awuah.
It is almost two years since government placed a ban on the export of local labour to countries such as Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar because of widespread reports of abuse of the rights of Ghanaians in those countries.
But Mr. Baffour Awuah, speaking at the opening of the Youth Employment Agency’s (YEA) career fair in Accra the move will ensure the youth of the country have sustainable employment both within and outside the country.
“The opportunities are there already we have signed a bilateral agreement with Barbados to export nursing personnel to the country. We are also having countries including Japan, United Arab Emirates, Canada and so many other countries who want to have people from Ghana to come and work,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer, YEA, Justin Kodua Frimpong, said the career career fair falls in line with the Agency’s flagship ‘Job Centre’ and ‘The work abroad’ programs geared towards creating sustainable jobs for the youth.”
He said the Agency believes there are several opportunities outside the confines of Ghana which the youth can fill thus the partnership to prepare them for such roles.
The two-day career fair is in partnership with the permanent mission of Ghana to the UN and the United Nations Office of Human Resources (OHR).
Themed, “Creating awareness in member States about Career opportunities and internships in the UN,” the event is aimed at creating awareness about job opportunities and internships for the youth in the UN System.
It also includes capacity building and networking with civil society organizations and academia with the view to building knowledge on UN recruitment processes and enhancing prospects for passing UN interviews.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
