The Office of the President of the Republic of Ghana, in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, has officially inaugurated the National Planning Committee for the Ghana Labour Exchange Program (GLEP), marking a major milestone in the country’s quest to become a global leader in structured labour export and international workforce development.
The ceremony, held at the Presidential Annex under the theme “Designing Ghana’s Global Workforce Strategy,” brought together key representatives from government ministries, foreign missions, development partners, labour agencies, and civil society to chart a new course for ethical, secure, and professional labour mobility across borders.
This effort is a direct reflection of the transformative vision of H.E. John Dramani Mahama, who has consistently championed labour diplomacy and the export of skilled youth as tools for national development, knowledge exchange, and economic reintegration.
“There is a global labour shortage,” President Mahama stated. “We must seize the moment to export skilled Ghanaian professionals through structured partnerships that guarantee dignity, knowledge exchange, and national reinvestment.”
GLEP and G-STEPS: Transformational Workforce Programs
The Ghana Labour Exchange Program (GLEP) aims to train, deploy, and reintegrate Ghana’s youthful workforce through ethical and rights-based labour contracts abroad. It is complemented by the forthcoming Ghana Security Training & Exchange Program for Service Personnel (G-STEPS), which will offer international training opportunities for national service personnel, particularly in security, peacekeeping, and technology-driven fields.
Committee Leadership and Composition
The committee is co-chaired by Hon. Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, Minister for Special Initiatives, and Hon. Rashid Pelpuo, Minister for Employment and Labour Relations. It includes representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Health, Education, and Transport; the Ghana Immigration Service; SSNIT; the Labour Agencies Council; civil society; youth observers; and parliamentary committees.
The committee’s mandate includes developing a national policy and legal framework for labour export, designing operational structures for GLEP and G-STEPS, setting KPIs, and coordinating a national awareness campaign.
A Vision for the Future
With Ghana’s youth unemployment challenge in focus, the inauguration signals a new era of opportunity and leadership. The Mahama-led agenda positions Ghana not just as an exporter of talent, but as a strategic partner in global development.
The GLEP initiative is expected to officially launch later this year.
