Unfair working conditions and employee rights in Ghana are to be addressed by a project that will draft a new code of practice for businesses in the country.
A new project called Improving Business Practice has been established in Ghana to research, draft and implement a code of practice for businesses in relation to fair conditions and rights for workers. Reports of bad practice in Ghanian businesses include workers employed without contracts, workers being prejudiced against because of their HIV+ status, excessive working hours, and the non-payment of overtime.
In 2005, DANIDA awarded a DKK 5million contract to COWI to assist in the creation of the code. COWI established the project Improving Business Practice to facilitate the code's delivery; it began in February 2006 and will run for two years. Unfair working conditions damage opportunities in overseas markets as more consumers demand reassurance no exploitation in the production of the goods they buy. But the code will also help assure Ghanians of the quality of the products and services they buy, where faith in business is low.
COWI is working closely with employer associations, chambers of commerce and trade unions in preparing the code. Existing documentation was too large and unyielding – small business especially did not have the time or motivation to respond to it."The code has been developed in conjunction with employers, and we hope the final version will be about five pages, and appeal to businesses more," says Kim Clausen, a Senior Specialist in Corporate Social Responsibility at COWI.
But drafting a code and enforcing it are two different things, and there is a possibility that some may consider the process a cosmetic one. Clausen disagrees, "It takes time. In the beginning, we will establish a website where businesses can self-report their implementation of the code for the benefit of overseas firms. A longer term goal is to introduce a system of certification so both domestic and international customers know the goods and services they are buy are produced to a high quality and without exploitation."By Martyn GlanvillePublished: 01.09.2006