The Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment has taken a major step toward promoting safe and healthy workplaces with the launch of Ghana’s maiden National Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Profile, a foundational document designed to guide the formulation of a comprehensive national policy and legislation on occupational safety and health.
Launching the Profile in Accra, the Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Hon. Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo (MP), described the initiative as a historic milestone that demonstrates government’s determination to strengthen occupational safety systems and protect the wellbeing of the Ghanaian workforce.
He explained that the OSH Profile will serve as the basis for a National OSH Policy and Legislation, aligning Ghana’s standards with international labour conventions and best practices.
“This launch marks a new phase in Ghana’s journey to institutionalize occupational safety and health,” Dr. Pelpuo said. “Our goal is to ensure that every worker, in every sector, formal or informal, operates in a safe, healthy, and dignified environment.”
The Minister also commended the development of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on the application of the Work in Fishing Convention (C188), describing it as another important step toward protecting vulnerable workers.
“Our fishers feed the nation, and it is our responsibility to ensure that their working environment is safe and decent,” Dr. Pelpuo stated. “The SOP is a practical tool to make that commitment a reality.”
Representing the Ghana Employers Association, Mr. Alex Frimpong Amoah stressed the urgency of creating safer work environments across all sectors.
He cited recent cases of building collapses and workplace accidents as preventable tragedies that undermine productivity and national development.
“We need to ensure that our workplaces are safe and conducive,” he said. “Otherwise, it won’t help productivity or national growth.”
Speaking on behalf of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Mr. Enoch Cudjoe noted that Ghana’s OSH Profile aligns with ILO Conventions 155 and 187, which provide international frameworks for promoting safe and healthy workplaces.
“This profile serves as a foundation for developing a national OSH policy,” he said. “We are very pleased that Ghana has reached this stage, and we hope the effort continues until the policy and accompanying programme are fully enacted.”
Delivering an in-depth presentation on the Profile, Dr. S. T. Odonkor, the lead consultant on the project, emphasized that the document serves as a roadmap for reform.
He urged the government to consolidate existing occupational safety laws into a single framework and to establish a National Occupational Safety and Health Authority with legal powers to enforce compliance.
The Acting Chief Labour Officer, Mr. Dawuda Ibrahim Braimah, also highlighted the significance of the new SOP for the fishing sector, noting that it is the first of its kind in West Africa.
He explained that the framework aims to protect the welfare and working conditions of Ghana’s fishers, one of the country’s most vital yet vulnerable occupational groups.
“This document is a useful guide for inspections and ensures that the rights and safety of fishers are respected,” he said. “Ghana is proud to be the first country in the sub-region to develop such a framework under the convention.”
The launch of the OSH Profile and the accompanying SOP marks a defining moment in Ghana’s occupational safety and health journey, reinforcing the government’s commitment to building safer workplaces, protecting lives, and fostering sustainable productivity across all sectors.
Source: Myxyzonline.com/Akora Kofi Darko
