First multi-stakeholder dialogue on Ghana’s LMIS held in Koforidua

The first multi-stakeholder dialogue on Ghana’s Labour Migration Information System (LMIS), has been held at an event in Koforidua in the Eastern region.

The two-day event, which brought together 52 officials from state and non-state institutions, is part of an ongoing collaboration between GIZ Programme Migration & Diaspora (PMD) working on behalf of the German government, and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, on the setting up of a Labour Migration Information System in Ghana.

The collaboration supports the implementation of Ghana’s National Labour Migration Policy, which includes the establishment of a comprehensive and integrated Labour Migration Information System for all stakeholders.

Presentations made bordered on the rationale for an Integrated Labour Migration Platform in Ghana and were interlaced with guided discussions on the Data and System Usage of Labour Department and other key stakeholders including the Ghana Immigration Service, the Attorney General’s Office and Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection; Ghana Employers Association, IOM Ghana, Ghana Statistical Service, and Trade Union Congress respectively.

Giving his remarks on behalf of the Chief Director of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Horen Quashigah thanked participants for their commitment towards the establishment of a data management system for labour migration for the country and reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to working with all stakeholders to ensure its success.

On his part, Head of Migration Projects in GIZ Ghana and Head of the Ghanaian-German Centre for Jobs, Migration, and Reintegration, Benjamin Woesten remarked that “A Labour Market information system anywhere is critical to the success of better engaging and supporting the inclusion of and proper management of labour migration information.

We should be able to have a “one-stop-shop” for information related to labour migration no matter which aspect of it we are dealing with – whether it’s labour issues, legal issues, psychosocial issues, immigration issues, business, etc. Migration statistics or not, the policy will be made; but policies that are anchored on statistics lead to better policymaking and better decision making.”

As part of the ongoing collaboration between GIZ PMD and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, there will be a second Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on the Labour Migration Information System in the future where a final report will be validated by the stakeholders.

About Programme Migration & Diaspora

Programme Migration & Diaspora harnesses the positive impact of regular migration and diaspora engagement to push forward socio-economic development, on behalf of the German Government in the partner countries, including Ghana.

The Programme’s approach reflects the German Government’s migration policy by leveraging the potential of regular migration and strengthening partners’ capacity to actively shape migration processes.

As a global Programme, all related activities take place in accordance with the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as Germany’s Skilled Labour Immigration Act and its National Action Plan for Integration.

Programme Migration & Diaspora is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in cooperation with the Federal Employment Agency’s International Placement Services under the Centre for International Migration and Development (CIM).

About GIZ

As a provider of international cooperation services for sustainable development and international education work, GIZ is dedicated to building a future worth living around the world. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment, energy, and the environment, and peace and security.

The diverse expertise of our federal enterprise is in demand around the globe, with the German Government, European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector, and governments of other countries all benefiting from our services.

We work with businesses, civil society actors, and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is our main commissioning party.

Currently, GIZ promotes sustainable development in Ghana via about 50 programmes and projects. GIZ is boosting Ghana's potential by focusing its projects on three priority areas: Responsibility for our planet - climate and energy, Training and sustainable growth for decent jobs as well as Peaceful and inclusive societies.

Additionally, our portfolio extends to other areas such as the environment, peace, and security. Another focus of GIZ’s work is linking business interests with development-policy goals.

Most of the programmes and projects we support in Ghana have successfully brought together national and international private companies, the public sector, and civil society groups to collaborate on development initiatives. For more information, please visit www.giz.de/ghana