Kumasi Labour Office decries government neglect

The Kumasi Metro Office of the Labour Department located at Asafo is struggling to keep relevant after years of government neglect.

Apart from its role in providing vibrant linkages between employers and job seekers, these offices are expected to offer advice on labour issues, inspect working environments and investigate the payment of working compensations.

The office is however crippled with stark resource challenges and unable to carry out these functions except for the services it renders to a few employers who prefer to register job vacancies for menial labor and craftsmen.

Speaking to Ultimate News, the Metro Labour Officer, Martin Opoku Sekyere pointed out that his office has not been resourced with a single official vehicle to conduct its program activities.

He lamented, “I am in charge of the whole of Greater Kumasi but I don’t have a working car. If I use my own car can I afford fuel? I might be compelled to go to just a few places”

He told reporter Salimatu Hawini, although they are having some challenges especially with advertisement and information dissemination, people are also not curious to find out more about the operations of the labor office because of the notion that the office is not operating.

Meanwhile, craftsmen with skills in carpentry, masonry, plumbing, tiling, and labour work are mostly seen in front of the labour office waiting for people with jobs to hire their services.

Some of them who have been visiting the labour office for years were of the view that the state was mandated to provide them jobs through such offices.

They admitted there were times they got lucky to have several jobs to do but at other times, they could go for weeks without any work.

“I am a mason so I come here very often to see if I can get any government work to do. We always reject private company jobs because they will keep tossing you around when it comes to the pay,” a middle-aged craftsman indicated.

“For several years, I have been coming here for jobs so I can cater for my family. Sometimes you will be fortunate to have several jobs but other times, you can come here for weeks with no job vacancy,” an elderly man recounted.

Their only reservation was that the vacancy counter of the labour office was full of security jobs that paid a pittance and menial jobs from private companies who they complain end up either defaulting or refusing to pay a decent wage.

The Metro Labour Department however disclosed it was exploring the power of technology to make its activities better accessible and known to the public.