Ghana developing action plan to protect workers

Ghana will by June 2023 have its action plan on Business and Human Rights (BHR) ready for implementation to enhance the protection of the rights of workers in the country.

Madam Mercy Larbi, the Deputy Commissioner for the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), said this on the sidelines of a two-day stakeholder consultative meeting on Wednesday in Accra.

She said when in force, the action plan would pose a responsibility to the State and businesses to implement measures to protect and respect the rights of workers in every sector of the economy.

Mad Larbi also said the action plan would provide mechanisms through which workers could seek for remedies, including having easy access to legal aid when their rights were violated.

She said: “We’re currently doing consultations with stakeholders in both the public and private sector, which would be extended to all the 16 regions, and by the middle of next year, we should launch the action plan and it will kick start.”

She said the action plan would make it a requirement for businesses to have a human rights compliance certificate from CHRAJ before registering to operate in Ghana, just as done in Kenya, Uganda, Germany and Scotland.

The Deputy Commissioner said the activities of businesses affected human lives, therefore, “the Business and Human Rights action plan will enhance the human rights of Ghanaians in various business organisations”.

Mr Victor Brobbey, the Lead Anchor on the National Action Plan, said: “It [the action plan] would be beneficial in the sense that investors would be assured of an investment regime – legal and procurement regimes are all consistent with human rights norms and principles.”

He emphasised that the action plan would ensure that “businesses generate products, goods and services that can enter the global value chain anywhere – in Europe and North America and be consistent with human rights principles”.

The development and adoption of the NAP under the supervision of the Office of the Attorney-General and CHRAJ are expected to position Ghana as a country committed to the promotion and protection of human rights.