The Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment (MLJE) has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting safe, fair and well-governed labour migration to ensure that international employment opportunities benefit workers, their families and Ghana's development.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Labour, Jobs and Employment at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Ghana Migration Services Open Day in Accra, the Director of Policy, Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry, Gloria Bortele Noi, highlighted the importance of effective migration policies and institutional collaboration.
She urged prospective migrants to seek accurate information from authorised institutions and verified service providers on destination-country requirements, employment documents and recruitment procedures to avoid irregular migration, fraudulent job offers and exploitation.
Mrs Noi called on government institutions, diplomatic missions, recruitment agencies, training institutions and the private sector to coordinate efforts to strengthen migration governance, improve referral systems and expand access to reliable migration services.
Integration
She added that international employment opportunities should complement job creation efforts in Ghana, noting that returning migrants could contribute skills, experience, remittances and knowledge to national development, while urging stakeholders to strengthen cooperation and protect migrant workers' rights.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Acting Chief Nursing Officer and Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the Office of the Director of Nursing and Midwifery at the Ministry of Health, Evelyn Amoako, stressed the need for stronger collaboration among health authorities, migration agencies and other institutions to ensure migrants receive appropriate health assessments, referrals and continuity of care before travelling and upon returning to Ghana.
She said the Ministry of Health was committed to addressing the health needs of migrants through national planning frameworks, including the National Health Policy and the Health Sector Medium-Term Plan.
She also highlighted concerns over the migration of Ghanaian health professionals, noting that while international opportunities promote skills development, Ghana must strengthen workforce planning to prevent their movement from undermining the country's capacity to deliver quality health care.
She said, migrants could encounter difficulties accessing health care and maintaining continuity of treatment when moving between countries, making cooperation among relevant institutions crucial.
She called for stronger coordination between health authorities, diplomatic missions and recruitment agencies to ensure that migrants received accurate information about medical requirements and available healthcare services before travelling.
Ms Amoako commended IOM Ghana for its contribution to promoting safe migration, providing health services and facilitating the return of Ghanaian citizens from India, South Africa and other countries.
Also speaking at the event, Ms Rose Bentil Quaye, Principal Planning Officer at the Ministry of Education, highlighted the importance of inter-agency collaboration in addressing the educational and health needs of migrants and their families.
She noted that the Ministry of Education was committed to supporting the integration of migrant children into the national educational system and ensuring that their health and well-being remained a priority in national planning.
The Data Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at IOM Ghana, Mr Cyril Odartey Lamptey, said the Migration Services Open Day aimed to strengthen collaboration with government and stakeholders while promoting awareness of safe, orderly and regular migration, including health assessments, cultural orientation, visa services and migrant reintegration.
IOM Ghana's Role and Event Objectives
The event also provided an opportunity for participants to familiarise themselves with IOM Ghana's services, including health assessments, movement assistance, document verification and pre-departure orientation.
Through its Migration Health Assessment Programme, IOM conducts medical evaluations at the request of destination-country governments to help prospective migrants meet applicable health and immigration requirements.
The engagement sought to improve awareness of available migration services, clarify referral pathways and strengthen institutional relationships to support migrants throughout the migration process.
