GRi In Parliament 29-01-99

Accra (Greater Accara), 29 Jan.  

Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, today said casual workers are entitled to be paid the minimum wage, transport, rent and leave allowances, which are enjoyed by permanent workers.They are entitled to any other conditions of service, which their permanent counterparts enjoy and made to contribute to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) Pension Scheme, Alhaji Mumuni said while answering questions pertaining to the ministry in Parliament.

A question by Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, MP for Tema West, was whether the laws governing employment of casual labour are being obeyed particularly by Ghana Agro Food Company (GAFCO), Ghana Textile Manufacturing Company and Wahome Steel Company, all in Tema.

The Minister said though it has not been possible to obtain information on the question, his visit to GAFCO showed that the issue of casual labour is being managed fairly by the employers.

Besides, he said, no complaints of unfair labour practices have beenmade to the Ministry by casual workers in the other companies.Alhaji Mumuni told the House that the ministry, as part of its outreach programme, tries to sensitise employers to use appropriate labour practices to protect casual workers, whom he described as "vulnerable".

He announced that a new labour bill, which among other things, seeksto cater for casual labour, will soon be submitted to Parliament.The Minister said a casual worker, by International Labour Organisation definition, is a worker without a contract and is employed in a work which is intermittent or seasonal in character.

He said Ghana's labour laws do not have express provisions on casuallabour, but an indirect reference is made only to a part of the Labour Decree NLCD 157 of 1967.The part specifies among other provisions that "there should be a written contract where a contract between an employer and a worker is made for the employment of the worker for a period of not less than six months or for a period of working days equivalent to six months or upwards.

"If the worker is to be engaged for less than six months or working days equivalent to six months, there may not be any need for a contract".

Alhaji Mumuni said by implication and the definition given, a workercan be engaged casually in Ghana for a period of up to six months or a number of working days equivalent to six months.

In an answer to a question on the alleviation of unemployment through the agricultural sector, Alhaji Mumuni said the ministry has held meetings with the ministries of Food and Agriculture and Trade and Industry and some other state institutions aimed at reaching a consensus on policy proposals for employment promotion in the various sectors of the economy.

He said the meetings concluded that the agricultural and industrial sectors held enormous potential for the absorption of the country's unemployed, especially the youth.In the agricultural sector, for instance, he said, on-farm and otherrelated non-farm activities, including processing, storage and export-marketing were identified as sources of unlimited opportunity for job-creation.

On Western Veneer and Lumber Company (WVLC) in Takoradi, which is planned for divestiture, Alhaji Mumuni said if the government should undertake to settle the workers' outstanding salaries, allowances and other entitlements, it would do so from the proceeds of the sale of the company.

He said for the past two months, the Divestiture Implementation Committee has been discussing with the Ministry of Lands and Forestry about the possibility of sourcing funds to settle all outstanding bills of WVLC.

Accra (Greater Accra), 29 Jan.

A Member of Parliament today called for an end to restrictions on Trade Union rights in some industries in the Export Processing Zones (EPZ) .Ms Beatrice Naa Afiyie Ashong, NDC-Kpone Katamanso, urged the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare to ensure compliance with national labour laws by employers or investors in the EPZ to minimise industrial unrest which leads to low productivity.

Contributing to the debate on the President's Sessional address, she said his admonition to investors to try and understand the sensitivity of workers in order to minimise lock outs and strike actions is prudent adding that he must be commended for it.

The member observed that most women working in the EPZ are unfortunately found performing low skilled and low paid job asked that special attention be paid to women workers who account for the greater percentage of workers in the zone.

''There is need to ensure that employment in industry promotes women's advancement and women should not be confined to low-skilled, low-paid andlow prospects jobs and that they should have access to training opportunities=and better jobs''.

Naa Afiyie said the move to promote made in Ghana goods and the directive that government agencies should source their purchases from local industries is commendable.

However, this should be backed by a legislative instrument to ensure Compliance, she said, adding: ''I urge MPs to start by encouraging theirwives to wear made in Ghana cloth''.

Naa Afiyie said the Destination Inspection Scheme (DIS), which is toreplace Pre-Shipment Inspection should be so structured that a period or dateline is given for inspection to be conducted to avoid undue delay.

''The system should be well monitored to check possible abuses fromimporters, who can go all out to bribe their way to bring in shoddy goods.''

On the Common Fund, the member noted that some district assemblies are finding it difficult to disburse the 20 per cent meant for poverty alleviation.

This is due to the directive that they should be disbursed through the banks. She said, however, that some banks are refusing to do so because interest on the loans are so low.

On the whole, she noted that the economy made some appreciable gains in spite of the Presidents prediction in 1997 that it would be a difficult year.