Government is providing a framework to aid licensed international job recruitment agencies to ensure the dignity of Ghanaians and for them to receive appropriate wages for work done, the Minister of Labour, Jobs and Employment, has said.

Dr Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo said labour migration remained an important pillar of Ghana’s development, which, when properly governed, could create employment pathways, facilitate skills transfer and generate remittances that would sustain households and strengthen the economy.

"However, without strong regulation, it also exposes citizens to risks such as irregular migration, exploitation and unethical recruitment practices," he said.

The minister said this in Accra yesterday at the launch of the Professional International Recruiters Association of Ghana (PIRAG) to augment the government's effort at solving the current unemployment problem.

PIRAG is a newly registered professional body of licensed Private Employment Agencies (PEAs) with a particular focus on international recruitment of skills and semi-skilled Ghanaians and is committed to promoting fair, ethical and transparent international recruitment practices.

It is grounded in the principles of the International Labour Organisation, the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Compliance

Dr Pelpuo said the government, through the ministry, continued to strengthen a safe, orderly and regular migration system anchored in the National Labour Migration Policy (2020), international commitments and ongoing institutional reforms.

He said in recent times, however, the government had observed the persistence of unregulated actors within parts of the recruitment ecosystem.

"These practices, in some instances, expose vulnerable job seekers to exploitation and undermine lawful migration channels.

"This underscores the need for stronger compliance, professionalism, and accountability across the sector," he said.

Dr Pelpuo said the establishment of PIRAG reflected growing recognition of the need for structured professional coordination within the private recruitment space.

"The government has engaged various stakeholders in this sector and remains committed to fairness, transparency and non-discrimination in its engagements.

"However, all actors must operate strictly within national laws and regulatory frameworks," he charged them.

Sanitise private recruitment

The President of PIRAG, Charles Allan Kwenin, said the establishment of the agency was to assist in sanitising the private recruitment eco-space, ensuring that the industry operated as a credible and professional partner in national development through a "fit-for-purpose" regulatory framework towards labour migration for decent work.

He said a professional body such as PIRAG was crucial to stamping out trafficking and exploitation of Ghanaian workers abroad.

Mr Kwenin, who is an internationally recognised immigration expert, said the migration landscape in Ghana had seen a significant increase in citizens seeking employment opportunities abroad.

According to him, while labour migration could drive development through remittances and skill acquisition, it also presented challenges related to irregular migration, exploitation and unethical recruitment practices.

Collaboration

The Barbados High Commissioner to Ghana, Juliet Sutherland, pledged her country's full support to the ministry and PIRAG and expressed the hope that the collaboration would provide a win-win situation for both Ghana and her country.

She praised Ghanaian health workers in particular for their high sense of professionalism and for contributing to saving many lives in Barbados during the COVID-19 period.