New Labour Minister meets TUC leadership, pledges action on job creation and workers’ concerns

The Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Emmanuel Agyekum, has pledged to deepen government engagement with organised labour on key issues affecting workers, including wages, pensions, decent work and job creation.

Mr Agyekum made the commitment when he paid a working visit to the leadership of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in Accra, following his appointment by President John Dramani Mahama. The meeting provided an opportunity for the new Minister to engage the leadership of organised labour on some of the major challenges confronting workers.

TUC calls for review of Labour Act

TUC Secretary-General Joshua Ansah used the meeting to draw the Minister’s attention to the need for an urgent review of the Labour Act, which he said had been long overdue.

Mr Ansah particularly raised concerns about the termination of employees’ contracts without reasons, arguing that workers should be informed about the circumstances leading to the termination of their employment.

“We want you to look at the portion of the new Labour Act where employers terminate contracts without reason, and we think it must stop,” Mr Ansah said.

He also urged the Minister to prioritise decent work, improved wages and salaries, as well as measures to address unemployment and create sustainable jobs for the growing workforce.

The TUC Secretary-General further highlighted challenges associated with the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure and called for renewed efforts to address concerns affecting workers. He urged the Minister to remain firm in dealing with issues affecting organised labour and ensure that the concerns of workers receive the necessary attention.

The call aligns with the TUC’s broader demands articulated at a September 10 press conference, where the union described low wages as one of the most pressing challenges facing workers, with many households struggling to cope with rising costs of food, rent, transport, utilities, education and healthcare. The TUC also noted that many retirees receive pensions insufficient to meet basic needs, particularly healthcare costs, stating that “pensions should protect dignity in old age.”

Minister pledges social dialogue

Responding to the concerns, Mr Agyekum assured the TUC of the government’s commitment to continuous dialogue with organised labour. He said the Ministry would engage labour unions on a range of issues, particularly wages, pensions and job creation, as part of efforts to address challenges confronting workers and the broader economy.

The Minister expressed confidence that government had the capacity to significantly reduce unemployment in the country.

“I strongly believe that we have what it takes to deal with the unemployment situation in the country. As government, we have what it takes to bring unemployment down, and we are ready to do it,” he said.

Employers must give reasons for termination

Mr Agyekum also assured the TUC that his ministry would engage employers on the need to provide reasons when terminating the appointments of employees. According to him, workers deserve to know why their employment is being terminated, adding that the issue would be given attention as part of efforts to promote fairness, accountability and decent work practices.

“I don’t believe that employers should be allowed to terminate appointments without any reason. It is something I am going to ensure is addressed. At least, the employee should know why his appointment is being terminated,” he said.

The Minister’s commitment touches on a contentious area of Ghanaian labour law. In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in the National Labour Commission v. Barclays Bank case that under the current Labour Act (Act 651 of 2003), an employer may terminate an employment contract without giving reasons, provided the contract or collective agreement does not require reasons and the employer gives the required notice or pays salary in lieu of notice. The judgment clarified a long-standing misconception that employers must always provide reasons for dismissal, but it also renewed calls from labour unions for stronger worker protections.

A difficult employment landscape

The meeting comes as Ghana’s employment situation faces mounting pressures. The African Development Bank’s 2026 Economic Outlook Report estimated Ghana’s unemployment rate at 13.1 percent, with an inequality rate of 43.5 percent. Unemployment affects women (14.8 percent) and youth (32 percent) disproportionately.

Citing official data during the 2026 May Day celebrations, the TUC noted that the overall unemployment rate stood at 13 percent, youth unemployment at 34 percent, and nearly 80 percent of the employed population working in the informal sector. More than 500,000 young people applied for a limited number of security sector recruitment positions, underscoring the severity of the problem.

On wages, the government approved a 9 percent salary increase for all public sector workers under the Single Spine Salary Structure for the 2026 financial year, with the national daily minimum wage adjusted from GH¢19.97 to GH¢21.77, effective January 1, 2026. TUC Secretary-General Ansah acknowledged at the time that workers had made sacrifices in accepting the increase, but urged the government to avoid introducing new taxes or tariff hikes that could erode workers’ gains.

Mr Agyekum was appointed Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment in August 2026, replacing Brogya Genfi, as part of a second major cabinet reshuffle by the Mahama administration. His engagement with the TUC forms part of efforts to strengthen collaboration with organised labour and find practical solutions to challenges confronting workers and the labour market.