The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, under the auspices of its Occupational Health and Safety Taskforce, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ghana Tourism Federation to strengthen occupational health and safety standards within the country’s tourism sector.

The agreement brings together the Ministry’s Department of Factory Inspectorate, the Occupational Health and Safety Taskforce and GHATOF to improve workplace safety and compliance across the industry.

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards in Ghana, enforced by the Ministry, are primarily governed by the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) and the Factories, Shops and Offices Act, 1970 (Act 328). These regulations require employers to ensure safe and healthy working environments, provide protective equipment and report workplace accidents, with an emphasis on risk management and staff training.

Commitment to safety

The Chief Director of the Ministry, Hamidu Adakurugu, who signed on behalf of the Ministry, expressed optimism about the partnership, describing the tourism industry as central to Ghana’s development agenda.

"Once the standards are set and adhere to strictly, Ghana will become one of the best tourism destinations in the world.

"In such an industry, safety is key. Once a client is sure of his safety, the place becomes his second home," he said.

The Chairman of the Occupational Health and Safety Taskforce, Dr Daniel Ayikwei, said the federation remained “driver to Ghana's economic growth through revenue generation and creation of jobs.”

He indicated that the Taskforce would soon roll out training workshops for companies within the hospitality industry to enhance service delivery and ensure standardisation.

"The tourism industry is the gateway to the country, and once we get it right, we are good to go," Dr Ayikwei told the Daily Graphic.

Industry outlook

The President-elect of GHATOF, Seth Okrah, said the agreement was timely and would help position Ghana’s tourism sector to meet international standards.

He noted that while the industry was performing well, there was significant room for improvement through capacity-building in occupational health and safety.

He added that strengthening staff competencies in safety standards would enhance service quality and boost the sector’s global competitiveness.