Labour Minister inaugurates Ashanti Region health, safety compliance task force
The Minister of Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, has inaugurated a special task force to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations in factories, offices, shops and other workplaces in the Ashanti Region.
The taskforce is backed by the necessary warrants and legal authority under the Factories, Offices and Shops Act, 1970 (Act 328), and the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), to conduct unannounced inspections and investigations and to enforce workplace health, safety and environmental standards.
The initiative, under the auspices of the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment, is to strengthen labour inspection, compliance enforcement and occupational safety governance.
Nationwide rollout
Inaugurating the task force at the conference room of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council last Friday, Dr Pelpuo said the move formed part of a nationwide rollout of the special task force for inspection and compliance on health and safety at workplaces.
This initiative, he stated, was a major step towards strengthening workplace monitoring and ensuring that workers across the country operated in conditions that protect their health, safety and dignity.
“By establishing this regional taskforce, we are bringing part of the operational strength at the capital closer to the communities, enterprises and workers who need to be protected in all these enterprises”, he said
Response
He said this meant that quicker response, stronger oversight and clearer accountability were key elements to consider, saying “your role is to support labour officers and enforcement teams at the regional and district levels through advocacy, targeted inspections when necessary”.
“The success of this taskforce will depend on your willingness to prioritise workplace safety, to support labour officers in the field and to ensure that district level coordination is effective and continuous”, he told the taskforce members.
While indicating that the government alone cannot ensure workplace safety, he called on workers to take an active role in their own safety, to observe procedures, report hazards and participate in safety training.
The Chairman of the Health and Safety Committee of the ministry's special taskforce, Dr Daniel Ayikwei, charged members of the taskforce to promote safety and be more professional in the discharge of their responsibility.
He said, “Do not go out there to challenge employers and business owners, but rather be an angel of safety by educating people to understand why safety should be a priority in their offices and firms”.
Economic activity
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, said a modern economy must be built on safe workplaces, responsible employers, empowered workers and an effective, responsive regulatory system.
He stated that increased economic activity comes with increased risk, occupational injuries, fatalities, chemical exposures, among others which continue to threaten families and communities.
“Safe workplaces reduce downtime, lower medical costs, boost worker morale and ultimately increase productivity,” he stated and further entreated the task force to carry out their duties with the highest commitment to transparency and service to the nation.
The Chief of Feyiase, Nana Addae Gyamera, charged the task force to conduct their work with integrity and fairness and cautioned them against accepting gifts, as this had a tendency to undermine their operations.
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