The Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, has paid a working visit to the Amasaman Public Employment Centre (PEC) as part of ongoing efforts to improve labour administration and deepen employment facilitation services across the country.
The visit formed part of the Ministry’s routine monitoring exercise, aimed at assessing service delivery, identifying operational challenges and exploring opportunities to enhance job-matching services and labour market data systems under the Ghana Labour Market Information System (GLMIS), supported by the World Bank.
Addressing staff during the visit, Dr. Pelpuo underscored the vital role of labour administration in driving national development, describing labour matters as “the engine that powers every thriving economy.”
He stressed that well-functioning labour offices are essential to ensuring equal access to employment opportunities, particularly for young people seeking guidance and direction.
Drawing from his own early career experience, the Minister recounted how a labour office played a pivotal role in securing his first job—an opportunity he believes every Ghanaian youth deserves today.
“Labour offices must remain places where anyone, regardless of background, can walk in and find support, direction and opportunity,” he emphasised.
Dr. Pelpuo commended staff of the Amasaman PEC for their dedication, assuring them of the Ministry’s commitment to addressing challenges related to staffing, logistics and internet connectivity.
He further pledged to strengthen the GLMIS platform to ensure job seekers can readily access nationwide job vacancies—from their communities or even from home. According to him, plans are in motion to integrate the system with multiple institutions to enrich labour market data and improve reporting on job creation across all sectors.
The Chief Labour Officer, Mr. Dawuda Braimah, also praised the staff for maintaining a clean, orderly and efficient centre despite operational constraints. He reiterated the importance of PECs in providing career counselling, job-matching and labour market guidance to young people.
While acknowledging that employers regularly declare vacancies at the centre, he noted the need for enhanced digital feedback mechanisms to track outcomes after applicants are placed in jobs.
During the visit, staff demonstrated how the GLMIS platform is used to register job seekers, upload vacancies and match candidates to available opportunities. They confirmed that several job seekers have already been shortlisted and referred to employers, with some receiving placement confirmations, although improvements to feedback processes are still ongoing.
The Minister was accompanied by Chief Director Mr. Hamidu Adakurugu; Director of Labour and Employment Mr. Nhyira Sarfo; Chief Labour Officer Mr. Dawuda Braimah; Project Coordinator Mr. Augustine Ampomah; Head of Public Affairs Mr. Eyram Tottimeh; and Assistant Public Affairs Officer Mr. Kafui Nutsu, among others.
By Daniel Opoku
