The National Employment Policy (Policy) provides Ghana the needed policy response to the precarious employment situation and to assist the poor and the unemployed to take advantage of the opportunities to be gainfully employed and contribute to the national development process. It is a multi-sectoral policy with a national coverage that will be implemented for the 2012-2016 period.
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The Policy will pursue interventions that will lead to the modernisation of the agricultural sector and the preparation of the foundation for structural transformation of the economy. The Policy will accordingly focus on the development of rural agriculture through a vibrant and competitive private sector, enhanced rural and agricultural infrastructure development and sustainable environmental development. The effort at reforestation will be intensified.
The Policy will also promote and support large-scale farming and out-grower schemes as a means of absorbing the youth in higher productivity and higher income farming ventures. Important facilities such as extension, credit, market and land will be made accessible much easier. The culture of community-based irrigation to ensure a more scientifically managed system of assuring water for production will be ensured. In addition, the Policy has been developed to achieve sustainability in its implementation. Significant effort will therefore be made to apply sustainable development principles to achieve the protection of the environment.
The Policy seeks to eradicate poverty and improve the standards of living by minimising the rates of unemployment and underemployment, and optimising the utilisation of labour and human resources. In addition, the Policy will implement policies to correct the imbalance in the distribution of incomes as well as employment opportunities between the rural and urban communities through raising the productivity of agricultural activities, provision of financial and socio-economic infrastructure in rural communities and the location of industries particularly agro-based industries in rural areas.
Enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems – In order to transform the rural economy through agricultural modernisation, farmers will be encouraged to diversify production and also go into the production of raw materials for industry. To ensure comparative advantage, adequate support will be provided to the private sector to increase the volume and quantity of agricultural production, improve packaging and conservation, marketing and delivery.
In addition, in order to ensure that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are properly incorporated into the mainstream of economic activity to fully maximise their employment generation potential, government will pursue deliberate policies to stimulate the corporatisation and expansion of MSMEs in economic sectors with strong growth potential, provide supportive tax incentives and adequate infrastructure to support expansion and employment generation. The Policy will also strengthen the capacity for business development and provide information on technology, and market options in both urban and rural areas to support enterprise growth.
An Implementation Action Plan will be developed to facilitate the realization of the objectives set out in the national employment policy framework. The plan will outline the details regarding duties, responsibilities and obligations of all stakeholder institutions in the public and private sectors, social partners, civil society organizations including NGOs, and development partners at the national and sub- national levels.
The plan will also contain specific employment related targets and deliverables, verifiable indicators and the means of verification, and the time frame within which the expected targets and deliverables will be achieved. In addition, the government will be expected to provide the required budgetary resources for the implementation of the Policy.
NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT POLICY 2014
The goal of the present National Employment Policy (NEP) is to create gainful and decent employment opportunities for the growing labour force to improve their living conditions and contribute to economic growth and national development within the framework of equity, fairness, security and dignity.
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