Amid the implementation of the government’s National Labour Export Program, Minister for Labour and Employment, Rashid Pelpuo, has issued a stern warning that no company will be allowed to export Ghanaian labour without a valid labour certificate signed by the Minister himself.
This declaration was made by the minister at the launch of the Planning Committee for the Ghana Labour Exchange Program, which aims to connect Ghanaian workers to decent jobs abroad.
The Minister made it unequivocally clear that the era of unregulated labour export is over. He says the program will strictly ensure that recruitment agencies obtain the necessary documentation and permits before partaking in the program.
“Anybody you see will say, I have a company, I want to do labour export,” Minister Pelpuo stated, adding that “I have made a pronouncement and I’ll reiterate it. No company can send people out of this country without a labour certificate signed by the minister. They will stop you at the airport, and you can’t do it.
These stringent measures reflect the growing concern over the exploitation of Ghanaian migrant workers, especially in the Gulf states. Harrowing stories of maltreatment, withheld wages, and inhumane working conditions have increasingly dominated headlines, painting a grim picture of illegal and poorly regulated labour migration.
The minister, therefore, says no company will be allowed to bypass the law, regardless of its size or connections. He warned that all recruitment firms must sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in strict accordance with Ghana’s labour laws, ensuring that Ghanaians recruited for overseas work are treated fairly, paid appropriately, and protected from abuse.
“No company can send anybody out of this country without signing a memorandum of understanding, following the laws of Ghana, following the labour regulations, ensuring that they are going to serve in a fair manner, be paid adequately for what they have done, and without being enslaved,” he added.
The newly launched Ghana Labour Exchange Program aims to formalize and supervise the recruitment of Ghanaian workers for international job opportunities.
The Planning Committee, which was inaugurated at the event, will oversee strategies to harness decent and dignified jobs for Ghanaians abroad, while weeding out illegal and unscrupulous operations.
Pelpuo also revealed that Ghana will now enter into bilateral labour agreements with any country that seeks Ghanaian labour. This, he stressed, will be a safeguard to ensure the protection and welfare of Ghanaian workers overseas.
“We will sign a ballot trial with any country that wants labour from Ghana. It will not be the situation where you bring pictures from the Gulf and you see our ladies being maltreated and some young men can’t even run away and leave their earnings because they just wanted to come back home as a result of the pressure they put on them, enslave them, torture them, make them feel like they are nothing. We are Ghanaians and we respect ourselves,” he added.
The Minister’s remarks signal a looming crackdown on unlicensed labour agencies and middlemen who exploit the desperation of unemployed Ghanaians. He warned that any agency found operating without the proper documentation will be stopped at the airport and sanctioned accordingly.
