Accra: The Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment (MLJE), in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), has commenced a four-day National Social Dialogue on Green Jobs and Policies. The initiative aims to train stakeholders on climate change, just transition, and the evolving dynamics of the workforce.
According to Ghana News Agency, the dialogue has gathered representatives from the tripartite committee, including government officials, employers, trade unions, and ILO experts. Mr. Hamidu Adakur Ugu, the Chief Director of the Ministry, emphasized the importance of this workshop in Ghana's development. He noted that globally, the green and circular economy is transforming how societies operate, produce, and consume.
Mr. Ugu highlighted that as Ghana transitions towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient economy, it is crucial to ensure that its workforce, enterprises, and communities are adequately prepared and supported to benefit from this transformation. The workshop is designed to enhance the capacity of Ghana's tripartite plus partners, civil society, academia, and development partners to effectively address emerging issues related to the green and circular economy, just transition, and the future of work.
He further explained that the dialogue aims to incorporate the perspectives of all stakeholders into revising Ghana's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0) under the Paris Agreement, ensuring that the country's climate commitments are inclusive, evidence-based, and focused on employment.
Mr. Ugu stated that the Ministry is committed to embedding decent work and social dialogue at the core of Ghana's green transition. Through the National Green Jobs Strategy (2021-2025) and related initiatives, the government is working on building policy foundations to promote green jobs, improve labour market information systems, integrate green skills into education, and ensure gender equity and inclusion.
He reiterated that the success of these initiatives depends on the active participation of tripartite constituents-employers, workers, and the government-alongside civil society, academia, and development partners. The discussions aim to provide concrete recommendations for integrating labour market and social dimensions into Ghana's NDCs 3.0, enhancing the country's contribution to climate action and sustainable development.
Mr. Ibrahim Muniru, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, presented that a just transition serves as a framework for managing the social and economic impacts of the shift towards low-carbon industries. He noted that Ghana's commitment to a just transition is formalized through policy instruments like the Ghana Energy Transition Framework (Net-Zero by 2070) and the Energy Transition and Investment Plan (ETIP).
Dr. Lloyd Ngo, Project Manager of the EU Ghana Skills Pact Project, discussed the importance of adaptation and mitigation measures in addressing climate change. He mentioned that with support from the European Union delegation in Ghana, they are running a four-year project with the ILO to ensure policy cohesion and coordination across various sectors, including environment, employment, and energy. The project also focuses on building capacity and developing curriculums impacted by the just transition in terms of technology.
