By Kofi Ahovi
A recent survey undertaken by the Labour Research and Policy Institute of the Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC) has revealed that the National Youth Employment Program (NYEP) is flouting the labour law.
It was identified that out of 301 employees under the program who had worked between seven months and 1 year, 236 representing 78% were casual workers. Also 82.1% of people who had worked between 1 year and one and half years were also casual workers.
According to the labour law (Act 2003), a temporary worker who is employed by the same employer for a continuous period of six months and more shall be treated as a permanent worker, however this not adhere to by the NYEP.
The survey also revealed that out of 471 people working under the scheme, 321 representing 68% had no employment contract.
However, 90% of the workers worked within the internationally accepted eight hours a day or 40 hours a week. 41% worked exactly eight hours a day or 40 hours a week, just about one in ten (10.3%) worked for more than 8 hours a day, interestingly those who worked overtime were not paid.
The average monthly wage of the workers was GH¢50 compared to the current national minimum wage of approximately GH¢61 per month. Over half (56%) of the workers received monthly allowance of GH¢50 or lower.
Due to the importance of the program, the study recommended that government should create a special fund for the program and encourage donors to support it “the future of the program depends on the availability of financial resources for the program.”
The government was urged to abide by the labour laws of the country as well as the international obligations.
Also to safeguard the national character of the NYEP, it is important that appropriate measures are taken to depoliticize the program.
Over 108,000 jobs have been created under the NYEP since its inception in October 2006 in all the 10 administrative regions in Ghana under eight of the 10 employment modules planned for the first phase of the program. 90% of the beneficiaries are employed in four of the eight employment modules: Waste and Sanitation Management (36%), Auxiliary Nursing (22%), Rural/Community Education (18%) and Community Protection (14%). The average duration of employment in the program was 10 months.
A recent survey undertaken by the Labour Research and Policy Institute of the Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC) has revealed that the National Youth Employment Program (NYEP) is flouting the labour law.
It was identified that out of 301 employees under the program who had worked between seven months and 1 year, 236 representing 78% were casual workers. Also 82.1% of people who had worked between 1 year and one and half years were also casual workers.
According to the labour law (Act 2003), a temporary worker who is employed by the same employer for a continuous period of six months and more shall be treated as a permanent worker, however this not adhere to by the NYEP.
The survey also revealed that out of 471 people working under the scheme, 321 representing 68% had no employment contract.
However, 90% of the workers worked within the internationally accepted eight hours a day or 40 hours a week. 41% worked exactly eight hours a day or 40 hours a week, just about one in ten (10.3%) worked for more than 8 hours a day, interestingly those who worked overtime were not paid.
The average monthly wage of the workers was GH¢50 compared to the current national minimum wage of approximately GH¢61 per month. Over half (56%) of the workers received monthly allowance of GH¢50 or lower.
Due to the importance of the program, the study recommended that government should create a special fund for the program and encourage donors to support it “the future of the program depends on the availability of financial resources for the program.”
The government was urged to abide by the labour laws of the country as well as the international obligations.
Also to safeguard the national character of the NYEP, it is important that appropriate measures are taken to depoliticize the program.
Over 108,000 jobs have been created under the NYEP since its inception in October 2006 in all the 10 administrative regions in Ghana under eight of the 10 employment modules planned for the first phase of the program. 90% of the beneficiaries are employed in four of the eight employment modules: Waste and Sanitation Management (36%), Auxiliary Nursing (22%), Rural/Community Education (18%) and Community Protection (14%). The average duration of employment in the program was 10 months.
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