<<Print>>

The Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Hon. Ignatius Baffour Awuah, MP, on May 30, 2017 at a stakeholders meeting organised by the Ghana Association of Private Employment Agencies (GHAPEA), called for a temporary ban on the direct home maid hire scheme in support of GHAPEA stand on the issue to sanitise the industry.

The Minister indicated that this had become necessary following constant complaints of abuse of human rights from young ladies working in the GULF States who had fallen victims to illegal operators.

After further consultations with the Members and Executives of the Ghana Association of Private Employment Agencies, the Minister and GHAPEA have now jointly called for a complete ban of the direct to home housemaid scheme which is the main source of the problems our ladies are facing in this field overseas. Licensed agencies may operate only company to company- there is no ban on company to company recruitment.

There are 3 main recruitment schemes for domestic workers.
1. Direct to home- workers are hired from one individual to another and the process ends when the worker leaves Kotoka, with no oversight once the person gets there.

It is fraught with abuses with no one looking out for the ladies. This forms 90% of the WhatsApp, seized phones abuses. This is the most profitable and unregulated form of migration, which is rapidly growing among illegal operators in Ghana.

"Young rural ladies are lured and left at the mercy of any harsh boss without any regulation - all human rights thrown out with harsh conditions. its the easiest form also, " lamented the Minister.

2. Company to company live in Maids - this could have issues - about 7% of issues - recruited under a contract and with a licensed agency to another licensed agency which is vetted and approved by the Ghana Labour office with intelligence. On departure, candidates receive GOVT orientation and hot line to call.With any issue, maid can report and home can be changed. Contract is for 2 years.

3. Company to company- live out - 3%
same as 2. The difference is more freedom of movement as maid lives outside of the home in their own very decent hostel.

GHAPEA has petitioned Government for a complete ban of scheme 1 for immediate sanitization of the industry.

The Minister has indicated that licensed agencies can operate within the two company to company schemes with strict regulation from an intersectorial body which the Minister will soon set up to sanitise the industry.

"For the long term, we encourage the nation to finalise our labour migration policy. We applaud the Minister for this bold move to save the lives of many unsuspecting women and for seeing to maintaining safe and legal channels for migration, ' said Alhaji Saeed, Chairperson of GHAPEA.

" GHAPEA will be working closely with the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and other stakeholders to develop bilateral agreements with selected nations, while briefing Govt on successful migration models, like the Philippines, which Ghana can under study and implement," said Rev. Dr Ocansey, Executive Secretary of GHAPEA and legal migration expert.

" We will strengthen GHAPEA to provide more decent jobs for Ghanaians, and severely crack down on the illegal operators to eradicate their dangerous activities from the system," concluded Hon Baffour Awuah.