By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, Feb. 11, GNA – Amahoro Coalition has called for stronger private-sector collaboration and simplified work permit processes to improve employment opportunities for refugees and Forcibly Displaced Persons (FDPs) across 15 African countries.
Madam Mercy Kusiwaa Frimpong, Strategy Custodian for Communications at Amahoro Coalition, said active private sector engagement was critical to creating and scaling job opportunities for FDPs.
She made the call while presenting findings from the Coalition’s “Pathways to Employment Series” report, which outlines strategies to move refugees from aid dependency to sustainable livelihoods.
Madam Frimpong said employment initiatives must go beyond humanitarian assistance to promote long-term self-reliance.
She said the Ghana report emphasised the need to strengthen partnerships among the Government of Ghana, international organisations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and private businesses to overcome systemic barriers to economic inclusion.
Madam Frimpong noted that the report also highlighted the importance of refugee-led enterprises, explaining that investing in businesses founded by displaced persons could stimulate job creation within refugee and host communities.
She said there was potential in digital skills training and remote work, which could bridge employment gaps by enabling refugees to access both local and global labour markets.
On policy, Madam Frimpong said the Coalition was advocating reforms that recognised refugees as economic contributors, allowing them to participate fully in Ghana’s labour market in line with existing legal frameworks.
However, she said refugees continued to face challenges, including complex work permit procedures, particularly the requirement for a letter of intent from an employer, which often limited access to formal employment.
Madam Frimpong cited a persistent policy-practice gap, inadequate information among private sector actors on how to legally engage refugees, and continued reliance on aid-based approaches rather than sustainable livelihood models.
To address these challenges, she said the report recommended streamlining work permit processes, strengthening multi-stakeholder collaboration, and transitioning from incentive-based work arrangements to formal employment contracts for refugees.
“Targeted capacity building and market-aligned skills training were essential to making refugees more competitive in the local labour market,” she said.
Madam Frimpong said implementing the report’s recommendations would improve livelihoods for refugees and forcibly displaced persons while contributing to national economic growth and social cohesion.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey