A survey by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations on the impact of COVID-19 on employment shows that 40 percent of workers experienced pay cuts between March and June 2020.
The survey captured about 878 private micro, small, medium and large scale businesses and about 1.5 percent of civil service workers.
In this regard, the government through the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations will soon provide unemployment insurance to persons who have been affected by the pandemic.
The sector Minister, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, while addressing the press on Ghana’s unemployment situation, said the special package is to assist the affected workers with direct income support.
“The Tripartite Technical Committee has been put in place to come out to see to the implementation of the scheme. The scheme when operational will focus on providing direct income support to workers who lost their jobs or suffered pay cuts as a result of the social or economic crisis. The scheme will also offer training, retraining job search support, apprenticeship and internship to those who lost their jobs to really adjust.”
Mr. Awuah indicated that the Ministry has also been working to provide more jobs for more Ghanaians.
“The agency has to receive an employment request from Japan, Australia and Kenya Island. The agency will continue to set up structures at the district and regional levels to support the employment of the youth. The agency is also planning to roll out other initiatives such as the Ekumfi Job Programme which is expected to employ over 100 youth with disability. The Artisan Direct Trade is also to recruit over 5, 000 beneficiaries. The Ministry stands for ensuring that Ghanaian workers are accorded with decent work”, he added.
The financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic led to some staff losing their jobs with others forced to take salary cuts.
As a result, the government has instituted a Tripartite Technical Committee to come up with modalities for the implementation of a National Unemployment Insurance Scheme.
Source: citinewsroom.com
