Austin Gamey questions new Labour Act despite government reform plans

Labour Analyst, Austin Gamey, has raised concerns over the necessity of introducing a new Labour Act, insisting that Ghana's current labour laws are broad enough to address emerging workplace trends if properly implemented.

His comments come at a time when government is pushing ahead with plans to introduce a new labour bill designed to protect workers in evolving sectors such as remote work, digital platforms and the gig economy.

According to him, many of the issues government hopes to address through the new bill can be dealt with under existing legislation and supplemented with the necessary regulations where required.

Speaking in an interview with Channel One TV on Thursday June 11, 2026, he argued that the country's labour regime already contains the provisions needed to manage employer-employee relations and workplace disputes.

"Everything that needs to be talked about as far as labour relations is concerned is provided for in the current law," he said.

Gamey also raised concerns about the practical implications of replacing the current law, arguing that many organisations and workers are still struggling to fully understand and comply with the existing legal framework.

He noted that, introducing a new Act without first resolving implementation challenges could create confusion and increase compliance difficulties for employers and employees alike.

"The present one, if we are unable to implement it, people don't have the knowledge about how to implement it. If we are going to have a new one, it's going to create a lot more problems," he cautioned.

He further suggested that portions of the proposed legislation appear to draw heavily from the existing Labour Act, with additional provisions that could have been introduced through Legislative Instruments instead of an entirely new law.

"They have actually lifted 651 into the new bill and added the Factories, Offices and Shops Act and expanded certain things which could have gone into the LI and regulations and not necessarily having a new bill," he explained.

His remarks add another dimension to the ongoing discussion surrounding labour reforms, with stakeholders weighing the benefits of a new legal framework against calls for stricter enforcement of existing laws.

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