New Labour Bill to introduce 5 days paternity leave, extend maternity leave by two weeks — Labour Minister
The Minister of Employment, Labour and Pensions Relations, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, has announced that a new Labour Bill is being considered by Cabinet.
Among others, the Bill proposes extending statutory maternity leave and introducing paternity leave if passed by Parliament.
Addressing the press at the Information Ministry in Accra on Wednesday, August 28, Mr. Baffour Awuah said the Bill seeks to update Ghana’s labour laws to reflect emerging realities in the world of work.
On family-friendly provisions, he said “the Bill will provide... extension of Maternity Leave by an additional two weeks and introduction of paternity leave.”
In Ghana, the statutory maternity leave currently lasts for 12 weeks. This maternity leave is applicable when a female worker presents a medical certificate issued by a medical practitioner or a midwife detailing the expected date of her confinement.
The Minister expressed hope that the Bill, once passed, will help Ghanaian labour laws keep pace with changing realities and improve protections for working families.
It forms part of the government's drive to update various labour statutes and maintain industrial harmony.