Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo Calls for Stronger Collaboration to Boost Productivity

At the 12th Quadrennial Delegates’ Conference of the Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU-Ghana), Labour, Jobs and Employment Minister Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo stressed the urgent need for stronger cooperation among workers, employers, and government to enhance workplace productivity and drive economic growth.

Speaking on the theme “Enhancing Productivity at the Workplace: The Role of Social Partners” at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Dr Pelpuo described productivity as the backbone of any thriving economy, noting that it plays a crucial role in job creation and improving living standards.

He acknowledged that Ghana has recorded moderate progress in labour productivity since 1991—surpassing the average performance of lower-middle-income countries, yet still lags behind its upper-middle-income peers. While sectors like mining have shown significant improvements, other industries with high potential for decent jobs and technological advancement continue to grow slowly.

“Ghana’s labour market continues to be dominated by informality, unemployment, and underemployment,” Dr Pelpuo remarked, stressing the importance of innovation, efficiency, and creativity at the workplace.

He commended ICU-Ghana for its dedication to workers’ welfare and its long-standing contribution to labour advocacy, describing its legacy as vital in creating a fairer and more prosperous society. Employers, he said, also have a duty to sustain productivity by offering fair wages, training, benefits, and a positive workplace culture that promotes teamwork and work-life balance.

Dr Pelpuo urged all stakeholders to strengthen social dialogue built on respect, communication, and trust to unlock the workforce’s full potential. “By working together, we can create a thriving work environment that enhances employee well-being, innovation, and productivity,” he concluded.

The ICU-Ghana conference drew delegates, labour leaders, and stakeholders to deliberate on pressing labour issues, marking another milestone in the union’s decades of service to Ghanaian workers.