Assistant Labour Minister for Labour Standards, Emmanuel Zorh, Jr., has expressed the Government of Liberia's preparedness to work with the Africa Regional Labour Administration Center (ARLAC) in fostering labour administration in the region.
Assistant Minister Zorh assured members of ARLAC of the Liberian Government's continuous commitment, through the Ministry of Labour, to the unhindered payment of financial obligations owed that regional labour entity over the past years.
A Labour Ministry release said Assistant Minister Zorh's remarks were contained in a special statement he presented on behalf of Labour Minister, Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah, Sr., at the 2024 Tripartite Meeting held under the theme: "Comprehensive and Sustainable Social Protection for All," held at the headquarters of ARLAC in Harare, Zimbabwe from July 22-26, 2024.
The release issued in Monrovia today further revealed that the ARLAC sponsored conference lasted from July 22nd to the 26th and brought together a cross section of government labour officials and trade union executives from across member countries of the African Regional Labour Administration Center (ARLAC).
The release indicated that Assistant Minister Zorh responded to queries from fellow participants at the conference on the protection of migrant/foreign workers and efforts being exerted by Liberia to ensure that poverty is alleviated through the design and implementation of policies that protect the rights of people.
"In addition to building institutional capacity and knowledge, the event was full of experience sharing from member countries and it was an opportunity for Liberia, amongst other countries to share her contents on policies and practices, as well as instruments currently used to ensure social protection, to include the Decent Work Act, the Social Security Act and other Maritime Regulations for people in its social protection system", the release quoted Assistant Minister Zorh as informing participants at the gathering.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Africa Regional Labour Center (ARLAC), Retiselitisoe Khetsi commended Liberia's Minister of Labour, Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah, for living up to his commitment in working on the payment plans on debt owed the body by the Liberian Government over the past years, the release noted.
For his part, the Chairman of ARLAC and Zimbabwean Minister of Labour, July Y. Moye, is quoted by the Labour Ministry release of equally expressing confidence in Minister Kruah's administration as Head of Liberia's Ministry of Labour, assuring Zimbabwe's commitment to strengthen Liberia's existing relations with the African Regional Labour Administration Center, (ARLAC).
The Zimbabwean Labour Minister and Head of ARLAC said he was looking forward to stronger partnership with Liberia and other ARLAC member countries in enhancing decent labour on the African Continent, the Labour Ministry release further quotes Minister Moye as stressing at the conference.
The workshop highlighted many prime areas of the contemporary world of work, including training needs of labour administrators of the region, decent work, and social dialogue, amongst others; the release continued.
The release noted further that the workshop was intended objective to increase the capacity of member countries to formulate and implement policies and strategies to progressively extend sustainable social protection by Providing comprehensive understanding of the importance of the extension of social protection as a powerful tool to reduce poverty;
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expose the challenges posed by demographic and economic changes to social security schemes, analyze best international practices and guidelines of social security schemes, among others.
The African Regional Labour Administration Center, (ARLAC), formed in 1974 by the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Development Program, is an international non-governmental organization with a mandate to strengthen labour administration systems in African countries through training, research, consultancy, advisory services and publications, the Ministry release revealed.
Participants at the event included representatives from Botswana, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Nigeria, host Zimbabwe and Liberia, the release concluded.
