The Ghana Employers Association (GEA) in collaboration with Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), on Thursday held a two-day forum in Accra on deepening social dialogue and good Labour practices in the country.
The forum was to deliberate and take action on pertinent labour and industrial relations practices that affect enterprises and stakeholders in Ghana.
This would help promote harmonious labour relations, fair and decent working conditions, job creation, and economic growth.
The event that also brought together officials from the Department of Factories Inspectorate (DFI) and National Labour Commission (NLC) was on the theme: ‘Deepening Social Dialogue for Enterprise Sustainability and Good Labour Practices.’
Speaking at the forum, the Chief Executive Officer of GEA, Mr Alex Frimpong stated that the forum was to rekindle the mechanism, procedures and interest of their partners in Social dialogue in the country.
He noted that, Social dialogue was important in a democratic country because there was consultancy and negotiations to help arrive at a consensus agreement.
“In social dialogue we are looking at exchanging information, consultation and negotiation, all these are important to foster the ability for social progress to build a strong social and economically savvy country,” Mr Frimpong said.
The CEO noted that they had passed the era of ‘take it or leave where business issues out instructions and industrial democracy requires that we work together to ensure we carry each other along.’
He restated that organisations would achieve nothing when there was no management and workers dialogue.
Mr Frimpong Commended the NHO for supporting the association and seeing to it that social dialogue becomes a tradition in Ghanaian organisations.
The Senior Specialist for NHO, Mr Rolf Negaard said he was excited to support GEA with his experience to achieve its goals since Norway was 100 per cent in social dialogue practices.
The Chief Inspector of Factories at the Department of Factories Inspectorate of Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Mr George D. Gashon, in his presentation said Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) was important in promoting enterprise sustainability and good labour practices in the country.
According to him, OSH was the science of the anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of hazards arising in or from the work place that could impair the health and well-being of workers.
BY CECILIA LAGBA
