The Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Masa Depan Building Maintenance L.L.C. of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to facilitate the recruitment and employment of Ghanaian workers for construction, building maintenance and facilities management projects in Dubai.

The agreement establishes a framework for the phased recruitment of up to 5,000 Ghanaian workers, beginning with an initial batch of 500. 

The initiative is intended to expand access to international employment opportunities while ensuring that the recruitment process is transparent, orderly and protective of workers’ rights and welfare.

Under the agreement, the Ministry will coordinate recruitment processes in Ghana, verify employment demands and contracts, facilitate trade testing and skills certification, and organise pre-departure orientation on UAE labour laws, workplace safety and workers’ rights. 

The arrangement also seeks to curb irregular recruitment practices, prevent recruitment-fee abuses and promote the safe and orderly migration of Ghanaian workers.

Masa Depan Building Maintenance L.L.C., represented by its Managing Director, Junhong Deng, will directly employ the recruited workers and remain responsible for their wages, accommodation, insurance and other employer obligations. 

The company will also bear specified recruitment-related costs arising in the UAE including visa and work permit fees, medical tests, health insurance and air tickets from Ghana to the UAE.

To strengthen worker protection, the agreement provides for occupational safety training, protective equipment, a worker welfare officer and a grievance mechanism through which workers can raise concerns without charge or retaliation. 

It also provides for the establishment of a Joint Working Committee to monitor recruitment, employment conditions, workers’ welfare and the implementation of the agreement.

The agreement underscores the Ministry’s focus on connecting Ghanaians to employment opportunities beyond the country’s borders while safeguarding against exploitation and unfair recruitment practices. 

It also provides a framework for skills transfer and the reintegration of returning workers into Ghana’s labour market.

The cooperation is intended to operate within the applicable labour laws of Ghana and the UAE as well as the existing framework of bilateral cooperation on labour mobility. 

Recruitment and deployment will be undertaken in phases based on the company’s specific demands and the procedures outlined in the agreement.