Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2018, published 108th ILC session (2019)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Ghana (Ratification: 1959)

Other comments on C081

Observation

Direct Request

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Article 7 of the Convention. Training of labour inspectors. The Committee notes the Government’s statement, in reply to the Committee’s previous request, that there are arrangements for newly recruited labour staff to be trained, as well as arrangements to provide periodic training to existing labour inspectors. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on these training activities for labour inspectors, including information on the number of participants and their frequency, length and content.

Article 11(2). Reimbursement of travel expenses. The Committee notes the Government’s statement, in reply to its previous request, that labour inspection services are provided with funding through which transportation and other expenses incurred by labour inspectors are reimbursed. The Committee once again requests the Government to describe the procedure applicable for the reimbursement to labour inspectors of the transport and travel expenses incurred in the course of their duties.

Article 12(1)(a). Right of labour inspectors to enter freely workplaces liable to inspection. The Committee previously noted that section 124(1)(a) of the Labour Act empowers labour inspectors to enter freely and without notice at any hour of the day or night to inspect any workplace during working hours. Noting the Government’s indication in its report that section 124 gives effect to Article 12 of the Convention, the Committee recalls that Article 12(1)(a) does not envisage restricting visits to workplaces liable to inspection only to working hours. The Committee therefore requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken to ensure that labour inspectors are empowered to enter freely and without previous notice at any hour of the day or night any workplace liable to inspection, even outside of working hours.

Articles 20 and 21. Annual report of the labour inspection services. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that it is committed to the provision of statistical information relating to the number of violations detected of the Labour Act. It notes that while no annual report on the work of the labour inspection services was received by the Office, the Government provides in its report information on the number of labour inspection staff. It also takes due note that the Statistical Report of the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, published on the Government’s website, contains statistics related to the activities of both the Labour Department and the Department of Factories Inspectorate, including the registration of new premises, the number of shops and offices inspected, the number of registered workplaces inspected (disaggregated by region) and the number of accidents reported, disaggregated by sex. The Committee encourages the Government to pursue its efforts to ensure the publication of statistical information related to the work of the labour inspectorate, and to take measures to ensure that this information includes all the subjects outlined in Article 21 of the Convention, including the number of workers employed in workplaces liable to inspection (Article 21(c)); statistics of violations and penalties imposed (Article 21(e)); and statistics of cases of occupational diseases (Article 21(g)). It requests the Government to communicate a copy of the report containing these statistics to the ILO.