Ghana has formally launched its National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP-BHR), marking a significant milestone in the country’s commitment to advancing corporate accountability, safeguarding human rights in business operations, and reinforcing its role as a regional leader in rights-based economic governance.
The launch, makes Ghana the fifth African country, after Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and Liberia to complete and adopt a national framework designed to uphold human rights principles in both public and private sector activities. The 101-page plan, made available in print, digital, and braille formats, was accompanied by the unveiling of an official NAP-BHR website aimed at broadening public access and fostering inclusive implementation.
The initiative is grounded in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and responds to growing global and domestic calls for governments to ensure that businesses respect human rights and that effective remedies are available when violations occur.
Launching the plan on behalf of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Sylvia Adusu, Chief State Attorney, underscored Ghana’s determination to be counted among countries with clear, enforceable frameworks for business and human rights.
In a speech read on his behalf, Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine explained that Ghana’s decision to move forward with the plan follows its hosting of the first African Business and Human Rights Forum in 2022, a milestone that placed Ghana under international scrutiny to finalise its own national framework.
“The Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice will play its role in ensuring that the NAP-BHR is adopted and the objectives stated therein are achieved,” Dr. Ayine affirmed.
“The state is committed to business and human rights and same has been captured in the 1992 Constitution.”
He expressed gratitude to Ghana’s development partners for supporting the NAP-BHR process and called for continued collaboration in ensuring that the framework moves from policy to practice.
The NAP-BHR is designed not only to promote compliance with international human rights standards, but also to address the vulnerabilities of marginalised groups often affected by large-scale economic activities. The framework targets key sectors such as extractives, agriculture, manufacturing, and trade, areas where business impacts on local communities are often most pronounced.
Dr. Joseph Whittal, Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), described the launch as an important first step but warned that impact will depend entirely on implementation.
“I wish to use this medium to call on all our partners, both local and international, to support the Commission in setting up a fully equipped and functional NAP Implementation Secretariat,” he said.
“We are committed to the implementation of the NAP and the Commission will take all the necessary steps to support government in ensuring that all recommendations contained in the NAP are achieved.”
CHRAJ has been tasked with coordinating and monitoring the plan’s rollout across Ghana’s regions.
Mohammed-Anwar Sadat Adam, Country Director for Oxfam, praised the plan as a “bold commitment” to economic development rooted in justice, equity, and sustainability.
“The stakes are already high in the extractive industries,” Adam warned.
“While these extractives brought economic promise, they also expose communities, especially women, children, youth and marginalised to issues of land grabs, environmental degradation, displacement and poor labour conditions as well as abuses of civil and political rights.”
He pointed to the country’s experience with gold, bauxite, oil, gas, and now lithium, as a cautionary tale for what happens when economic opportunity is not balanced by strong protections.
“We cannot afford to repeat these mistakes. The global means for critical minerals for energy transmission and green technology must not override the rights of communities or the duty of businesses or the state, to protect and respect human rights.”
Ghana’s launch comes ahead of the fourth African Business and Human Rights Forum, set to be held in Zambia and Geneva, where Ghana will now be recognised among countries with a “progressive NAP.” The timing of the launch also aligns with increased expectations on countries integrating into global trade systems, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), to uphold environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.
As businesses account for nearly two-thirds of Ghana’s GDP, stakeholders emphasised the urgent need to align commercial activity with ethical standards that protect communities, workers, and the environment.
With the plan now officially launched, attention shifts to how the government and its partners will deliver on its objectives—ensuring that the framework becomes a tool for genuine accountability, inclusive growth, and long-term sustainability.
