Accra, Nov. 25, GNA – The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR) Wednesday engaged Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs) to input into the review of the Labour Act 2003, Act 651.
Since its promulgation in 2003, the Act is now being reviewed by the Ministry in consultation with various stakeholders to address the gaps within the law including issues of the vulnerable.
Ms Gloria Bortele Noi, Director, Human Resource, MELR, said the review engagement started months ago to help get views of all labour stakeholders, including the Ghana Employers Association, the Trade Union Congress, Human Resource Practitioners, and others.
She said the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, which oversaw social welfare issues now would be a main partner institution.
She said the partners would work together, pooling resources to amend the labour law, to cover all Ghanaians.
She said the review of the law had become necessary because at the time it was promulgated, only physical disability was taken into account but now there were other ones coming in, like albinism, those who stammered, the deaf, among others.
Mr Benjamin Arthur, a Labour Administration Expert and a Technical Assistance at the MELR, who took the participants through the Labour Act said the review would help in taking care of the new dynamism of labour.
He said issues like albinism, which was hitherto, not seen as a disability was now being considered on the basis of inclusion and diversity, while other vulnerabilities of persons was also being taken care of in the review process.
“This is to improve the labour law and to ensure that the concerns of persons with disabilities have been adequately addressed”, Mr Arthur said.
He said another roundtable workshop will be held early 2021 to invite the views of the remaining stakeholders after which, a validation workshop will be held before wrapping up on the review content.
He said because the dynamics of the workplace and industrial relations kept changing hence the need to also have a look at the labour law.
Ms Doris Ndebrugre, Programmes Manager of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations, said since the unemployment rate among persons with disabilities was very high hence the need to legislate for the engagement of more PWDs.
“Employers should be motivated through incentives, which the law says should be determined by the Minister of Employment. So there should be a provision clarifying who qualifiers for that incentives and how he or she can get it.
“For me, that is the big thing I’m looking forward to see in the reviewed Act,” Ms Ndebugre said.
Mr Albert Klutse, Disability Desk Officer, at the MELR, called for the strengthening of the Disability Rehabilitation Centres in the districts and regions for proper documentation of PWDs.
GNA