The Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare (MESW) intends to hold stakeholder workshop on the National Employment Policy (NEP) in September / October this year to operationalize and integrate the policy into the national budget process, to empower Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) implement employment creation activities and agenda from 2010.

With support from the World Bank and the UNDP, the MESW developed a NEP and an Action Plan that seeks to ensure a cross sectoral approach to mainstream employment creation in all progammes / projects of all MDAs.

This, is expected to enhance labour based employment and linkages between institutional training and industry.

Data from the Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS) indicates that 9.4 million Ghanaian adults aged 15 years above were economically active in 2006, out of which about 3% were estimated to be unemployed (had no work, available for work and actively looking for work).

During the same period, the unemployment rate among the youth aged 15-24 years was estimated at about 69%.

According to the sector minister, Mr. Stephen Amoanor Kwao the figures appear to be underestimated considering the fact that many jobless but capable economically active Ghanaian adults might not be actively looking for job and are termed disguised or hidden unemployed.

"The ministry will play a lead role in the implementation of the policy and its action plan as well as co-ordinate activities of all MDAs to promote the creation of productive and gainful; employment in various sectors of the economy."

Mr. Kwao was speaking at the meet the press series in Accra. He explained that the ministry's mandate is to develop human resource, create the enabling employment environment, harmonious labour relations, safe and healthy working environment.

His ministry is also responsible for the social integration of people with disabilities (PWDs), the vulnerable, the extremely poor and the excluded into the mainstream of society to enable them contribute their quota towards national development and growth.

Mr. Kwao stated that in line with government's premium on human resource development, a National Human Resource Policy and its accompanying implementation action plan that will detail the roles, responsibilities and obligations of the various stakeholders from public and private sector are being developed.

"The policy will ensure the development of a knowledge-based and disciplined labour force with the capacity to drive and sustain public and private sector-led growth."

The Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI), an implementing agency under the MESW and the premier public sector management training institution, currently faces challenges of inadequate and inappropriate office accommodation, as well as a threat of ejection from its offices to give way for the development of the Accra Beach front Project.

The minister said his ministry will work with its partners to surmount these challenges to enable the MDPI operate to its optimal capacity for the benefit of the economy.

"It is obvious that the public sector institutions are not patronizing the management training services of the MDPI. The ministry will adopt pragmatic measures to encourage public sector institutions to access the management training services as a strategy for human resource development".

The minister cunningly dodged questions on employment freeze in the public sector.

He apparently refused to respond to questions seeking clarifications on the controversial issue which has become subject of discussions since the government secured funds from the International Monetary Fund.

Critics say the job freeze is part of the conditions the government had to fulfill before been granted $600 million loan by the fund to support this year's budget.

The Chief Labour Officer, Ms Elizabeth Hagan noted that casual labour remains an issue of concern that the current Labour Act actually deals with explicitly.

She said it does not look at the tag the employer puts on the worker but the nature of the job the worker does.

"The law demands that when you employ somebody for more than six months you have to regularize that person. If indeed the worker is tagged casual just for the employer to shelve some of his responsibility, the worker can go to the Labour Commission or to the trade unions that also work to protect the right of workers."