The first multi-stakeholder dialogue on Ghana’s Labour Migration Information System (LMIS), has been held at an event in Koforidua in the Eastern region.
The two-day event, which brought together 52 officials from state and non-state institutions, is part of an ongoing collaboration between GIZ Programme Migration & Diaspora (PMD) working on behalf of the German government, and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, on the setting up of a Labour Migration Information System in Ghana.
The collaboration supports the implementation of Ghana’s National Labour Migration Policy, which includes the establishment of a comprehensive and integrated Labour Migration Information System for all stakeholders.
Presentations made bordered on the rationale for an Integrated Labour Migration Platform in Ghana and were interlaced with guided discussions on the Data and System Usage of Labour Department and other key stakeholders including the Ghana Immigration Service, the Attorney General’s Office and Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection; Ghana Employers Association, IOM Ghana, Ghana Statistical Service and Trade Union Congress respectively.
Giving his remarks on behalf of the Chief Director of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Horen Quashigah thanked participants for their commitment towards the establishment of a data management system for labour migration for the country and reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to working with all stakeholders to ensure its success.
On his part, Head of Migration Projects in GIZ Ghana and Head of the Ghanaian-German Centre for Jobs, Migration and Reintegration, Benjamin Woesten remarked that “A Labour Market information system anywhere is critical to the success of better engaging and supporting the inclusion of and proper management of labour migration information. We should be able to have a “one-stop-shop” for information related to labour migration no matter which aspect of it we are dealing with – whether it’s labour issues, legal issues, psychosocial issues, immigration issues, business, etc. Migration statistics or not, policy will be made; but policies that are anchored on statistics leads to better policy making and better decision making.”
As part of the ongoing collaboration between GIZ PMD and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, there will be a second Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on the Labour Migration Information System in the future where a final report will be validated by the stakeholders.
