Ghana and Qatar have formally enacted a new Labour Mobility Agreement, creating a legal framework for thousands of Ghanaian workers in the Gulf state.
The agreement, ratified by Parliament this week after Qatar’s 2020 ratification, was exchanged by officials on the sidelines of the Doha Forum in Qatar on Sunday.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, confirmed the deal is now in full force.
“The Labour Minister of Qatar is excited that finally we can have a legal framework to guide the labour mobility of Ghanaian workers here. The terms are really far-reaching,” he said.
He noted that the pact establishes binding protections against exploitation and abuse, mandates insurance, medical allowances, and suitable accommodation for workers.
It also sets a higher quota for Ghanaian workers, aiming to increase their numbers beyond the current estimated 13,000.
“We are going to have a higher quota so that we can begin to compete with the likes of Kenya and Uganda,” the Minister stated, noting that those countries send tens of thousands more workers.
According to Mr Ablakwa, a joint technical committee will monitor compliance, with Ghana hosting its first meeting in February.
He also announced Ghana’s formal request to host a West African recruitment centre for Qatar.
Addressing concerns about ‘brain drain’, the Minister described the agreement as an economic strategy.
“This is not brain drain, it is brain gain. You come back to Ghana with more resources so you can set up, start your own business,” he added.
He clarified the policy runs parallel to domestic job creation initiatives, calling it a necessary response to youth unemployment.
The government intends to replicate this model, with agreements already active with Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada, and negotiations underway with Saudi Arabia and the UAE.