GEA Trains Informal Sector Employers in Ashanti and Western Regions on Productivity and Decent Work
Ghana Employers Association (GEA) has organized capacity-building workshops on productivity and decent work for members of its affiliate association, the Council of Indigenous Business Association (CIBA). The workshop, which brought together seven
different trade associations in the informal sector, deepened participants’ knowledge on the concept of productivity, decent work, transition to formality, social dialogue and its importance for enhancing productivity and working conditions at the enterprise level. The participating members of CIBA included the Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association (GNTDA), Ghana Traditional Caterers Association (GTCA), Indigenous Caterers Association of Ghana (ICAG), Ghana Hairdressers and Beauticians Association (GHABA), National Airconditioning and Refrigeration Workshop Owners Association (NARWOA), Ghana National Association of Traditional Healers (GNATH) and the Federation of Ghana Goldsmith and Jewellers’ Association (FGGJA). The workshop also had representatives from the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR) participating.
The maiden training workshop was held on 13th and 14th November 2023 in Kumasi, the Ashanti region, where participants were specifically drawn from the Northern and Middle belt of the Country. Similarly, a second workshop was held in Takoradi on 16th and 17th November, 2023 for CIBA members within the Western and Coastal regions of Ghana.
Mr. Kingsley Laar, a Research Officer at GEA welcomed participants on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer, Alex Frimpong and provided the rationale for the workshop. He underscored the need for employers to enrich their knowledge and skills on productivity enhancing strategies in order to facilitate business growth and sustainability. He added that adopting innovative, efficient and decent work practices was critical to improving profit, enterprise growth, increased wages and industrial harmony. He also expressed his appreciation to the ILO for collaborating with Employers to spearhead issues of productivity among its constituent bodies in the informal sector. Mr. Laar further thanked the Government of Switzerland and Norway for supporting the Productivity Ecosystem for Decent Work project in Ghana.
On behalf of Organized Labour, Mr. Elijah Joe Neizer, declared Trade Union Congress’ solidarity in supporting continuous dialogue and to ensuring that the rights of informal sector workers are protected. He called for more training workshops on productivity to optimise the skills of operators of the sector and to align with the changing technology at the workplace. He
was optimistic that such trainings would provide the needed awareness for employers to recognise the immense role of workers in enhancing productivity.
Speaking on behalf of the Chief Labour officer, the Ashanti Regional Labour Officer, Mr. Joseph Freedom Ezuh urged the social partners to work closely to promote collective innovations that can enhance productivity and dialogue on fair working conditions. He reaffirmed government’s continuous support to creating a favourable socio-economic environment that supports productivity growth at all levels of the economy.
Speaking on behalf of the Project Manager, Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work, Ms Ana Podjanin, mentioned that social justice was central to ILO’s mandate. She further added that promoting decent work was one of the principal means of achieving social justice and that given the size of the informal economy in Ghana, promoting decent work in the sector was extremely essential. She thereafter entreated participants to actively engage and share their sector-specific experiences and ideas in the course of the workshop.
Participants left workshop with renewed commitment to adopt innovative and efficient ways in doing business in order to enhance their productivity and promote decent work creation.