Government to introduce paternity leave as part of its 2024 labour reforms

The government is set to introduce paternity leave in the country as part of its 2024 labour reforms.

Minister of Finance, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, announced this on Tuesday, July 23, during his mid-year budget review presentation to Parliament.

He explained that the government, in collaboration with its social partners, has developed a draft Labour Bill for 2024 to strengthen labour administration and regulate the world of work.

"The government proposes key reforms, including strengthening labor migration governance, improving employment coordination, extending maternity leave, and introducing paternity leave, among others. We expect to promulgate the Labour Law before the end of the year," he noted.

In June 2024, Ghana's Parliament finalized the draft Labour (Amendment) Bill for 2023, initiated by the Member of Parliament for the Madina Constituency, Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu.

The bill requires men to produce a medical certificate indicating the expected date of the spouse's confinement to claim this entitlement, ensuring full benefits and remuneration during the leave period.

It also allows for extending paternity leave by at least two weeks in cases of caesarean sections, stillbirths, or multiple births, and entitles male workers who adopt a child under three months old to paternity leave.

Clause 2 of the bill seeks to amend section 57 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), increasing maternity leave from twelve to between seventeen and twenty-six weeks and extending it to women who adopt a child under three months old. The clause allows for an additional two weeks of leave in cases of abnormal confinement, caesarean sections, or multiple births.

Clause 3 introduces provisions for flexible working conditions for pregnant or lactating female workers, requiring employers to respond to written applications within 14 days.

The introduction of paternity leave and other labor reforms in Ghana marks a significant step towards promoting gender equality, supporting working families, and enhancing worker rights.

JKB/OGB

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