The former UK Cabinet Minister and current President of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Rt. Hon. Chloe Smith has praised President John Dramani Mahama for his innovative and infrastructural approach to Ghana’s labour market, accountability, and economic growth.
She made the remarks at the HR Focus Africa Conference and Awards 2025, on Friday, October 17, held under the theme “Equity, Innovation and Impact: Reimagining Work and Talent in Africa’s Emerging Future.”
Speaking at the event, Rt. Hon. Chloe Smith highlighted some of Mahama’s policies captured in the budget, including the establishment of labour dialogues without the government employment rights bill passing through Parliament, initiatives supporting tertiary education for persons with disabilities, and efforts to promote continuous professional development within public service institutions.
“So the drive to stimulate economic growth here in Ghana is really clear, along with moves on infrastructure, health, education, and more in the budget and government programme. I must say I was fascinated to see in the small print of the budget some policies that are really close to my own heart.
“Tertiary education for disabled students, and establishing continuing professional development for government employees. A centre of excellence approach to learning and capacity with government, including local governance, mentoring, taking advantage, I understand, of the expertise of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as we also strive to do through our CIPD Trust in the UK.”
She added, “Real-time data on labour market trends, I wish we had that in the UK. You might have seen some of our trials of our Office of National Statistics on that point. Plus, labour dialogue for better solutions on wage issues, also a really hot topic in the UK right now, with our government’s employment rights bill going through parliament, and indeed strikes on pay in some public services.
“I also see extensions of pension coverage into the informal sector, which is really significant because the demography of pensions is a big trend ahead, and labour markets are the key to successful pensions reform.”
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