Ghana, Russia sign agreement to create industrial job opportunities

Ghana has signed a labour cooperation agreement with Russia to facilitate the recruitment of Ghanaian workers for jobs in the industrial and manufacturing sectors.

The agreement was signed by Labour Minister Emmanuel Agyekum and the director of Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone, an industrial hub comprising 48 companies with a reported demand for more than 75,000 workers.

Under the arrangement, Ghana’s Ministry of Labour will coordinate recruitment, verify job offers and provide pre-departure orientation to help protect the interests of Ghanaians seeking employment in Russia.

Speaking after the signing on Thursday, October 29, Mr Agyekum said the partnership would extend beyond employment opportunities to include business collaboration, education, research, religious engagement and cultural exchange.

“We signed a fantastic agreement, not only on labour exchange. We are also looking at business-to-business cooperation. We’re looking at religion and culture as well, where we want to work further to make sure our cooperation goes beyond just labour migration,” he said.

The minister disclosed that Ghanaian businesses were expected to participate in upcoming forums in Tatarstan to explore potential partnerships with Russian counterparts.

He added that discussions were also underway to establish academic collaborations that would enable Ghanaian professors and lecturers to conduct research with universities in Russia.

Mr Agyekum encouraged Ghanaian youth to take advantage of the employment opportunities expected to emerge from the agreement.

The initiative forms part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between the two countries while opening up opportunities for Ghanaian workers and professionals beyond the domestic labour market.