ILO director calls on Manpower Minister

Mr Cornelius Dzakpasu, Director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), on Tuesday said Ghana is a model in Africa to implement most of the organisation\'s conventions to protect the rights of workers.

Mr Dzakpasu, who is responsible for Ghana and Nigeria, said this when he paid a courtesy call on Mrs Cecilia Bannerman, Minister of Manpower Development and Employment.

He said Ghana is one of the first countries on the continent to establish a national tripartite committee and lauded her efforts to eliminate child labour, which is very prevalent, especially in the fishing communities.

The Director said ILO\'s main concern in recent times is to support governments to strengthen efforts to respect human rights, promote employment through development of skills and vocational training, promote social dialogue and social protection through the provision of security.

Social security exists mostly in the formal sector, Mr Dzakpasu noted, and said there is the need to lay emphasis on the private sector as well. He also called for an improvement on the 60 per cent employment rate and gender balance in employment and said his outfit is ready to assist the ministry in any area that seeks to improve living conditions of workers.

Mrs Bannerman reiterated that the change of name of the ministry from Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare is not to reduce functions of the former ministry but rather meet the manpower demands of the country through training and capacity building. She said this would help the nation conform to current global trends.

Mrs Bridgette Katsriku, Chief Director of the Ministry, said the revised labour bill has had cabinet approval and will soon be laid before parliament.

She said the bill seeks to address all current disputes, such as freedom of association that has led to labour unrest.

Earlier, the International Relations Officer of the Trades Union Congress of Cuba, Ms Florentina Laza Caridenas, called on the Minister as part of an African tour to solicit interest in an international labour congress to be held in Cuba in April.