A former Women and Children Minister in the NPP administration, Hajia Alima Mahama has charged the labour department to crack the whip on employment agencies who exploit Ghanaian workers. Hajia Alima Mahama said the labour department must begin to prosecute employment agencies who violate labour laws.
The former Nalerigu/Gambaga member of parliament made these remarks when she presented spoke on fundamental human rights as enshrined in Ghana’s constitution at day’s ActionAid-Ghana training forum for representatives of business and enterprises in the northern region.
Hajia Alima who is a consultant to the NGO Young Urban Project said most of these agencies violate the rights of workers they recruited for institutions especially, banks with impunity and that workers should not suffer in the hands of their employers.
She faulted the labour department for not applying LI 1833, 2007,which regulate their activities.
The Labour depart, she said, are supposed to check the activities of employers but the department has failed in this regard. Consequently, employers openly flout and disregard labour laws. She accused banks of being the worse offenders of abusing their workers rights saying the banks dodge labour laws through employment agencies. In her own words, the banks are running away from Union responsibilities. 