Social dialogue crucial for productive work environment — Dr Pelpuo

The Minister of Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, has said that social dialogue between employers, workers, organisations, and the government is a crucial aspect of building a positive and productive work environment. 

By prioritising social dialogue, he said, they could create a more collaborative and successful workplace.

"As we move forward, I urge all stakeholders to engage actively in social dialogue and collaboration. Let us prioritise open communications, mutual respect and trust. By doing so, we can unlock the full potential of our workforce and drive productivity, innovation and growth," the minister added.

Dr Pelpuo was speaking at the 12th Quadrennial Delegates’ Conference of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) in Accra yesterday.

The three-day event was on the theme: "Enhancing productivity at the workplace: The role of social partners."

Collaboration

Dr Pelpuo further underscored the need for the government and social partners, including workers, to come together and address the challenges of technological change, climate change and economic uncertainty to build a more resilient and sustainable economy that benefits all citizens.

He said sustainable productivity was the backbone of any successful economy for job creation and improving living standards.

Dr Pelpuo said per the Ghana Statistical Service 2024 National Report on productivity, employment and growth, the country had achieved a moderate level of labour productivity growth since 1991, exceeding the performance of the average lower-middle income country but coming short of labour productivity growth levels in the average higher-middle income country.

Similarly, he said the growth of productivity had increased since the beginning of the extraction of oil in the early 2010s and accelerated between 2010-2013 and 2013-2016.

The minister commended the ICU-Ghana for its unwavering dedication to promoting the welfare of workers and contributors in the nation-building process, a rich legacy spanning decades.

Presence

The General Secretary of ICU, Morgan Ayawine, said the union was active in over 800 organisations in the country.

He said as the country and the world recalibrated the future of work, it was imperative that "we recognise workers not just as participants in the economy, but as architects of national resilience".

"Our guiding principle - The employer’s vision, the union’s concern”, has enabled us to work hand-in-hand with employers to ensure industrial peace, which in turn drives productivity and organisational success.

"We must invest in their growth, ensure fair and transparent promotion systems, and cultivate a sense of creating opportunities at all levels in fulfilment of the government’s reset agenda,” Mr Ayawine added.  

The union's proactive engagements, he further said, contributed to key changes and support in institutions such as the National Investment Bank, the Agricultural Development Bank, the Trust Hospital, the Golden Beach Hotels and the Volta Aluminium Company Limited (VALCO).

"We are actively pursuing similar interventions in the Cocoa and Textiles sectors, among others, and hopefully these interventions will be successful.

"Additionally, we call on the government to revive distressed State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), many of which, if rejuvenated, can drastically reduce youth unemployment,” Mr Ayawine said. 

Significance

The Chairman of ICU, Al-Haji Nuru-Deen Al-Hassan, said the conference was an event for reflection and renewal.

He said it was time to look back at how far we have come and look ahead in unity, purpose and determination.

For his part, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Students Affairs, UPSA, Accra, Prof. Emmanuel Asamoah, said there were pressing issues confronting labour in the country which needed all stakeholders to come together to address.