Ghana Introduces New Laws to Strengthen Social Protection: Next Steps — A Regulated Professional Social Work Force

On 7 October 2026, I attended the launch of three important social protection laws at the Marriott Hotel, Airport City, Accra. The Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, officially launched the Social Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1148), the Social Protection Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2521), and the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2522).

In her speech, the Vice-President, among other things, emphasised that these new legal frameworks are intended to strengthen social protection for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of society, improve opportunities for women, and ensure that public resources allocated to social protection reach their intended beneficiaries.

Representatives of Ghana’s development partners, including the World Bank and UNICEF, commended the Government of Ghana for strengthening the country’s social protection laws and systems. They also pledged their continued support to help ensure that these initiatives achieve the best possible outcomes for the deserving citizens of Ghana.

Having listened to the various speakers at the event, I have no doubt that President John Dramani Mahama’s government is determined to reset Ghana’s social protection system, particularly given the number of social protection policies and interventions introduced since 7 January 2025.

However, effective implementation of social protection legislation and policies requires appropriately trained and qualified professionals.

Social protection is a specialised field that requires the expertise of social workers and other social protection professionals to translate legislation and policy into meaningful outcomes for individuals, families and communities.

This is essential if we are to give full meaning to the theme of the launch:

“Building an Inclusive, Equitable and Resilient Ghana: From Legislation to Impact.”

*The case for a regulated social work profession*

As agents of change, social workers play a pivotal role in society. They work with some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of our communities, including children, families, older people, persons with disabilities and individuals facing social and economic difficulties.

It is therefore imperative for Ghana to establish a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework governing both the training of social workers and the professional practice of social work.

The School of Social Work in Osu, established in 1945, has played a pioneering role in the training of professional social workers in Ghana. Today, several tertiary institutions, including the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the University for Development Studies (UDS), and Methodist University, offer Social Work programmes ranging from undergraduate degrees to doctoral studies.

Despite this significant development in the education and training of social workers, Ghana still needs a comprehensive statutory framework to regulate the profession.

It is time for Ghana to establish such a framework and make “Social Worker” a legally protected professional title, as is the case in countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States.

While this reform may be long overdue, it is better late than never.

The United Kingdom provides a useful example. The General Social Care Council (GSCC) was established in 2001 and subsequently replaced in England by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) in 2012. Today, social work is separately regulated across the four nations of the UK by Social Work England, Social Care Wales, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), and the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC).

A properly regulated social work profession in Ghana would help to protect vulnerable people by ensuring that those practising as social workers have the appropriate education, training, competence and professional standards.

It could also facilitate the managed international migration of Ghanaian social workers, ensuring that their qualifications and professional standards are appropriately recognised and aligned with international requirements. This would be particularly relevant to the Government of Ghana’s Work Abroad programme and Ghana’s broader efforts to create legitimate employment opportunities for its skilled workforce overseas.

*The next step*
I understand that a Bill was introduced in the Eighth Parliament to establish a statutory regulatory body for the social work profession. I further understand that stakeholder consultations are currently ongoing with a view to ensuring that a similar Bill is reintroduced in the Ninth Parliament.

This presents an important opportunity for Ghana to complete the work of professionalising and regulating social work.

The passage of the new social protection legislation is a significant step forward. But legislation alone cannot deliver social protection outcomes. We need a properly trained, adequately resourced and professionally regulated workforce capable of implementing the laws and policies effectively.

If Ghana is serious about moving from legislation to impact, then regulating the social work profession should be one of the next important steps.

A stronger social protection system requires a stronger professional social work workforce.

Thanks
Mr Alhassan Mbalba
Social Worker/ Social Protection Expert

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