Ghana launches Ashanti Regional Taskforce to enhance workplace safety and labour law compliance

The Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment has launched a major regional intervention to improve workplace safety and strengthen compliance with national labour laws through the establishment of the Ashanti Regional Taskforce on Health and Safety Compliance.

Speaking at the launch on Saturday in Kumasi, the Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, affirmed government’s unwavering commitment to protecting the health, safety and dignity of Ghanaian workers.

He noted that every workplace accident carries “a human cost and a national cost,” and emphasized the urgent need for stronger monitoring mechanisms and full compliance with existing legislation such as the Labour Act (Act 651) and the Factories, Offices and Shops Act (Act 328).

Dr. Pelpuo described the newly inaugurated regional taskforce as a crucial decentralised tool that brings the operational focus of workplace safety enforcement closer to the communities, enterprises and workers who need it most.

“By establishing this regional Taskforce, we are bringing part of the operational strength at the capital closer to the people, this means quicker response, stronger oversight, and clearer accountability,” he said

He outlined the core duties of the Taskforce, including supporting labour officers with inspections, strengthening district-level coordination, providing safety guidance to employers and workers, and ensuring that enforcement efforts are practical and sustainable.

He commended the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council and local MMDCEs for their leadership and expressed appreciation to regulatory bodies, private sector actors and civil society partners for their support.

He called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to play an active role, describing their leadership and local expertise as essential to the effectiveness of the system.

He urged employers and workers to view workplace safety as a shared responsibility adding that Employers must translate legal obligations into real action through proper training, safe equipment, and routine checks, while workers must also commit to observing safety protocols and reporting hazards.