Ghana bans workers from moving to the Gulf

The Government of Ghana has banned all recruitment offices in the country from sending Ghanaian workers to foreign countries, especially Gulf states.

Ghana’s Peace FM Online newspaper quoted the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour, saying:

The decision was underpinned by incessant reports of inhumane treatment meted out to some Ghanaian domestic workers in the Gulf States by their employers.

During his meeting with the Ghana Association of Private Employment Agencies (GHAPEA) in the capital, Accra, yesterday, the minister considered the issue a national security matter, which called for strict measures to be taken to rectify the problem.

As a measure, we have placed a temporal ban on the exportation of people to the Gulf especially those recruited for domestic purposes. I have instructed the Labour Office not to issue any further license until given clearance,

said Baffour.

The minister also called for collective efforts to eliminate illegal agencies that are only interested in making money and are not concerned with the safety and welfare of the workers.