GEA Launches OSH Guide for Employers in the Horticulture Sector of Ghana
The Ghana Employers’ Association (GEA), in collaboration with the General Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU) and the Union of Education, Agriculture and General Services Workers (UNEAGES), and with the support of Mondiaal FNV, has officially launched the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Guide for Employers in the Horticulture Sector of Ghana. The launch event, which was held on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at the Employers’ House in North Ridge, Accra, marked a significant milestone in advancing responsible business practices and strengthening workplace safety standards across Ghana’s horticultural value chains.
Solidarity Messages
Various dignitaries, including the Chief Executive Officer of GEA, the General Secretaries of GAWU and UNEAGES, a representative of the Chief Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, as well as the First Secretary, Economic Relations and Private Sector Development at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, delivered solidarity messages at the event, endorsing the guide for implementation. In addition, the Chief Inspector of Factories at the Department of Factories Inspectorate delivered the keynote address and performed the official launch of the Guide.
The various speakers underscored the importance of occupational safety and health as a cornerstone of decent work, enterprise sustainability, and export competitiveness. They emphasized that the Guide provides practical tools, checklists, and templates for employers to adopt, thereby strengthening compliance with national regulations while protecting the health and wellbeing of workers.
Broad Industry and Institutional Representation
The ceremony brought together an impressive array of stakeholders from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as key employers and industry practitioners across the horticulture value chain. Specifically, the event was graced by leading companies in the fruits and vegetable subsector, including Blue Skies, HPW Fresh & Dry, Eden Tree, Pure & Just Ltd, Peelco, Golden Exotics, and Volta River Estates Ltd. Their participation underscored the relevance of the Guide to enterprises directly engaged in production, processing, and export.
Trade associations at the event included the Federation of Association of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE), the Pineapple and Mango Producers and Exporters Association of Ghana (PAMPEAG), Klo, Damfa, Yilo Krobo & Ga Adangbe Mango Farmers Association, the Chamber of Agribusiness and the Horticulture Business Platform (HBP). The strong representation these actors reaffirmed broad sectoral ownership of the Guide and commitment to its implementation.
A Tool for Safer and More Competitive Enterprises
The Employers’ OSH Guide is designed as a user-friendly and practical resource for horticulture enterprises, ranging from large plantations and packhouses to outgrower and smallholder farms. It provides step-by-step approaches for hazard identification, risk management, and compliance with both national and international labour and environmental standards.
By adopting the Guide, enterprises are expected to improve workplace safety, reduce accidents, enhance productivity, and meet the stringent requirements of international export markets. In doing so, the Guide not only protects workers but also contributes to enterprise growth and Ghana’s competitiveness in global value chains.
The launch of the OSH Guide marks the beginning of a sustained effort to institutionalize better workplace practices in Ghana’s horticulture sector. The GEA, in collaboration with GAWU and UNEAGES, has pledged to intensify capacity-building, sensitization, and monitoring to ensure the Guide is effectively utilized by enterprises across the country.