Labour Analyst Austin Gamey has questioned the need for a new Labour Act, arguing that Ghana’s existing labour laws already provide the framework needed to address emerging workplace trends and industrial relations challenges.
His comments come as President John Dramani Mahama announced that the government is close to finalising a new labour bill aimed at protecting workers in emerging sectors, including remote work, the gig economy, and digital platforms.
According to the President, the proposed legislation seeks to align Ghana’s labour framework with evolving global work trends and ensure workers have access to fair contracts, legal protection, and essential benefits.
However, Austin Gamey believes the focus should be on implementing and enforcing existing laws rather than introducing a new legal regime.
Speaking to Citi Business News on the sidelines of the 2026 Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management (CIHRM) Conference in Accra on Thursday, June 11, he maintained that “everything that needs to be talked about as far as labour relations is concerned is provided for in the current law.”
While acknowledging that reforms are sometimes necessary, he argued that many of the proposed changes could be accommodated through Legislative Instruments and regulations.
“They have actually lifted 651 into the new bill and added the Factories, Offices and Shops Act and expanded certain things which could have gone into the LI and regulations and not necessarily having a new bill,” he said.
Gamey further warned that replacing the current law could create fresh implementation challenges at a time when many employers, workers and practitioners still struggle to fully understand existing provisions.
“The present one, if we are unable to implement it, people don’t have the knowledge about how to implement it. If we are going to have a new one, it’s going to create a lot more problems,” he cautioned.
Gamey’s remarks add to the growing debate over whether Ghana’s labour market requires a completely new legal framework or stronger enforcement of existing legislation.
The conference concluded with the official unveiling of the 2027 Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management Ghana Conference, which is scheduled to take place from June 23 to 24, 2027.
