The Ministry responsible for Labour, Jobs and Employment has signed a memorandum of understanding with a United Arab Emirates-based company to facilitate the recruitment of up to 5,000 Ghanaian workers for employment in Dubai.
The agreement, signed by Labour Minister Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum and Masa Depan Building Maintenance L.L.C., will cover employment opportunities in construction, building maintenance, and facilities management.
Recruitment is expected to begin with an initial batch of 500 workers, then expand in phases in line with the company’s labour requirements.
Under the agreement, the Ministry will coordinate recruitment activities in Ghana, verify the company’s employment demands and contracts, and facilitate trade testing and skills certification for prospective workers.
The ministry will also organise pre-departure orientation for successful applicants to familiarise them with labour laws in the UAE, workplace safety requirements, and their rights as employees.
The measures are intended to reduce irregular recruitment practices, prevent abuses involving recruitment fees, and promote safe and orderly labour migration.
Masa Depan Building Maintenance L.L.C., represented by its Managing Director, Junhong Deng, will directly employ the recruited workers and take responsibility for their wages, accommodation, insurance, and other obligations as an employer.
The company will also cover specified recruitment-related costs in the UAE, including visa and work permit fees, medical examinations, health insurance and air tickets from Ghana to the UAE.
To strengthen safeguards for workers, the agreement provides for occupational safety training and the provision of protective equipment.
It also requires arrangements for a worker welfare officer and a grievance mechanism through which employees can report concerns without charge or fear of retaliation.
A Joint Working Committee will be established to monitor recruitment procedures, employment conditions, workers’ welfare, and the implementation of the agreement.
The committee is expected to provide a mechanism for both parties to track the recruitment process and address issues that may arise during the workers’ employment.
The agreement forms part of the Ministry’s efforts to connect Ghanaians to employment opportunities outside the country while strengthening protection against exploitation and unfair recruitment practices.
It is also expected to support skills transfer and provide opportunities for returning workers to apply their experience in Ghana’s labour market.
The cooperation will operate within the applicable labour laws of Ghana and the UAE, as well as existing bilateral arrangements on labour mobility.
Recruitment and deployment will take place in phases, depending on the company’s specific workforce requirements and the procedures outlined in the memorandum of understanding.
The initial recruitment of 500 workers will precede any further expansion towards the target of 5,000, with the process guided by the company’s demands and the agreed recruitment safeguards.
