Ghana has signed a labour mobility agreement with Masa Depan Building Maintenance L.L.C. of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to facilitate the phased recruitment of up to 5,000 Ghanaian workers for construction, building maintenance and facilities management projects in Dubai.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed by the Minister responsible for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, and the company’s Managing Director, Junhong Deng, provides for an initial recruitment batch of 500 workers before the programme expands to the broader target.
The agreement is intended to expand access to international employment opportunities while ensuring that recruitment is “transparent, orderly and protective of workers’ rights and welfare”, according to the Ministry.
Under the arrangement, the Ministry will coordinate recruitment in Ghana, verify employment demands and contracts, and facilitate trade testing and skills certification. It will also organise pre-departure orientation covering UAE labour laws, workplace safety and workers’ rights.
The measures are designed to curb “irregular recruitment practices” and prevent recruitment-fee abuses, while promoting the “safe and orderly migration” of Ghanaian workers.
Masa Depan Building Maintenance L.L.C. will directly employ the recruited workers and remain responsible for their wages, accommodation, insurance, and other employer obligations.
The company will also bear specified recruitment-related costs arising in the UAE, including visa and work permit fees, medical examinations, health insurance and air tickets from Ghana to the UAE.
Worker protection provisions include occupational safety training, protective equipment, a worker welfare officer and a grievance mechanism through which employees can raise concerns “without charge or retaliation.” These measures are intended to provide workers with channels to report workplace grievances without facing financial barriers or reprisals.
The agreement also provides for a Joint Working Committee to monitor recruitment procedures, employment conditions, workers’ welfare and the implementation of the MoU.
The cooperation is also expected to create opportunities for “skills transfer” and support the reintegration of returning workers into Ghana’s labour market.
The agreement will operate within the applicable labour laws of Ghana and the UAE, alongside the existing framework for bilateral cooperation on labour mobility. Recruitment and deployment will take place in phases, based on the company’s specific workforce requirements and the procedures outlined in the MoU.
The initial 500-worker intake will precede the broader target of 5,000 jobs. The Ministry’s coordination role, alongside the planned monitoring arrangements, will be important in ensuring that recruitment follows the agreed procedures and that workers receive the protections stipulated under the agreement.
