Government to strengthen Labour Department

Accra, April 22, GNA- Dr Charles Brempong-Yeboah, Deputy Minister, Manpower Youth and Employment, on Friday said the Government would strengthen the Labour Departments to ensure that it operated efficiently.

He observed that because Labour Centres were poorly resourced, they were not able to provide adequate information and up-to-date data on the state of employment in the country.

Speaking to newsmen during a familiarisation tour of manufacturing establishments within the Greater Accra Region, Dr Brempong-Yeboah said if current figures on employment were available they would help to formulate appropriate strategy to serve employers needs.

The tour was to enable the Minister to acquaint himself with the operations of the factories in the Metropolis and also to remind them of the need to adhere to the Labour Act as well as sensitise workers to observe precautionary measures to reduce occupational hazards.

The Deputy Minister, however, noted that despite the present hitches the Ministry would continue with the previous employment generation programs to provide vocational skills to the unemployed. Dr Brempong-Yeboah promised to liaise with employers to make sure that workers felt secured at their workplaces to enhance productivity. He said cases where workers were subjected to de-humanising working conditions were of concern to him adding that he would ensure that employers treated their workers with outmost decency.

At the coca-cola factory, Mr Sherif El Meligy, Deputy Managing Director, said the products of the Company met the safety certification and thus posted to no danger to consumers.

Mr Meligy indicated that the Company would by October this year be awarded the International Standard Organisation certification (ISO) for its operations.