GEA Engages Labour Ministry on Task Force Operations to Strengthen Workplace Compliance
The Ghana Employers’ Association (GEA), on 15 July 2026, engaged the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment on concerns raised by some member companies regarding the operations of a “Task Force” purported to be involved in workplace labour and occupational safety and health compliance enforcement.
The meeting followed an earlier formal request by GEA for clarification on the mandate and operational procedures of the “Task Force”, particularly in relation to the enforcement of the Factories, Offices and Shops Act, 1970 (Act 328) and the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).
During the engagement, GEA presented the concerns and operational challenges reported by some affected member companies. These included allegations of spot fines and inspection practices that had created unease among employers.
While the Association reaffirmed its support for the effective enforcement of labour and occupational safety and health requirements, it emphasized that workplace compliance interventions should be lawful, transparent, corrective and solution-oriented.
GEA noted that inspections should primarily assist enterprises to identify workplace risks, address observed deficiencies and establish appropriate systems for sustained compliance. The Association further stressed the need for enforcement processes to avoid practices that could be perceived as arbitrary, intimidating or inconsistent with established inspection procedures.
GEA also highlighted the statutory responsibilities of the Department of Factories Inspectorate and the Labour Department in relation to factory and labour inspections respectively, and therefore proposed that the task force operate within the established institutional framework and, in respect of factory inspections, under the supervision and approved procedures of the Department of Factories Inspectorate.
The Ministry acknowledged the concerns presented by GEA and clarified that the imposition of spot fines did not form part of the approved mandate of the task force. It also indicated that as part of efforts to address the reported challenges, the operations of the task force had been halted for approximately two months to allow for a review of its approach and the development of more effective compliance strategies. The review is expected to support a coordinated, solution-oriented and harassment-free system that promotes workplace compliance while maintaining constructive relations between regulators and enterprises.
The Ministry also expressed its commitment to working with the Department of Factories Inspectorate, GEA and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen occupational safety and health compliance through stakeholder engagement, comprehensive sensitisation and increased public awareness of the mandate and inspection procedures of the Department.