Forced Labour

This page was last updated on: 2023-05-19

Prohibition on Forced and Compulsory Labour

The Constitution prohibits all forms of forced labour. The Labour Act also prohibits all forms of forced or bonded labour. It is an offence for an employer to exact or cause to be exacted, or permit to be exacted, for his or her benefit forced labour from any worker. An employer convicted of an offence is liable to a fine not exceeding 250 penalty units. Employers are prohibited from employing a trafficked person or a victim of trafficking as defined by the Human Trafficking Act, 2005.

Sources: §16 of the Constitution of Ghana 1992; §116-117 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651); Human Trafficking Act 2005, (Act 694); Regulation 21 of the Labour Regulations 2007

Freedom to Change Jobs and Right to Quit

Workers have the right to change jobs after serving due notice on their employer. For more information on this, please refer to the section on employment security.

Sources: §17 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)

Inhumane Working Conditions

Working time may be extended beyond normal working hours of forty hours per week and eight hours a day. However, total hours of work inclusive of overtime are not specified by the law. For more information on this, please refer to the section on compensation.

Source: § 33-35 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)

Regulations on Forced Labour

  • Labour Act, 2003

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