The National Labour Conference held last Monday and Tuesday has been instituted as an annual event.
This was contained in the communique issued after the Conference in Kwahu in the Eastern Region.
The labour conference was the first to be held in seven years after a similar event was held under the Presidency of John Dramani Mahama.
The latest conference was held under the theme: ‘Strengthening Tripartism for Building Peaceful Labour Relations and Resilient Economy’.
The two-day event saw President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo grace as the Guest Speaker with the likes of Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Employment and Labour Relations Ignatius Baffour Awuah, and Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress Dr Anthony Yaw Baah in attendance.
President Akufo-Addo, in his address to open the Conference on Monday, February 28 and directly addressing some concerns raised by Dr Yaw Baah, committed to review of the Labour Act.
“Let me respond to the Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress by saying that I recognize the urgency of concluding the review of the Labour Act, and erecting a legal framework that will protect all categories of workers and enable government’s programmes to have a positive impact on the condition of life of the working people of our country.
“One such, potentially the most exciting, is the GH¢10 billion YouStart programme which is intended to help address youth unemployment in the country. Government has directed financial and technical support towards young entrepreneurs in the country to develop commercially viable businesses and create jobs for other youth.
“In effect, it will be a vehicle for supporting young entrepreneurs to gain access to capital, training, technical skills and mentoring to enable them launch and start their businesses.”
At the end of the Conference, the tripartite group made up of government, organised labour and employers resolved to institute the programme as an annual affair.
It will be held in February every year in Kwahu.
By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana