The Council Members of the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Ghana (CIHRM) had paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Labour, Jobs, and Employment (MLJE) and MP for Wa Central Constituency, Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo.

Speaking at the meeting, the President of CIHRM, Florence Hutchful, on behalf of the Institute, congratulated the Minister on his appointment as the sector Minister and thanked him for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with the Council members.

She highlighted the Institute’s role as the only legally mandated HR Professional body established by law to regulate the practice of human resource management in Ghana and to set standards to guide best practices in employment, talent management, employee relations, workforce training, and development.

To this end, she revealed that efforts were far advanced by the Institute in developing human resource management standards to guide best practices in employment, talent management, employee relations, and workforce training and development.

She added that the HR standards would be rolled out before the end of the year.

Mrs. Hutchful also assured the Minister of the Institute’s readiness to collaborate with the Ministry by providing insights from the Institute’s members and sharing people management expertise to ensure the creation and sustainability of a harmonious labour environment in Ghana.

Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo emphasised his Ministry’s commitment to labour management within Ghana and beyond, particularly in circular recruitment across various sectors and the protection of workers' rights and well-being.

He also charged the Institute to develop tailored training programmes and competency guidelines to meet the needs of the Ghanaian labour market.

The Minister further stressed the critical role of HR in national development, stating that a country lacking quality human resources would struggle to progress.

He noted that Ghana has, at times, suffered due to poor human resource management practices, where expensive projects were completed but later collapsed due to inadequate expertise and skills.

He underscored the importance of meaningful collaboration between his Ministry and the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Ghana, to enhance the quality of HR in the country.

He encouraged the Institute to be bold in executing its mandate as enshrined in its governing legislation and to ensure that no one bypasses proper procedures to obtain certifications from the Institute.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CIHRM, Dr. Francis Eduku, stated that the Institute has set out a deliberate strategy for engaging and partnering with academia.

Pursuant to this, Dr. Eduku noted that CIHRM is signing Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with various universities nationwide to bridge the gap between the theory and the practice of Human Resource Management in Ghana.

The CIHRM delegation included the Vice-President, Dorothy Asare; Dora Siaw-Lartey; Louise Agyeman-Barning, and Eric Adadevoh (Esq.).

The Ministry’s delegation comprised Gloria Bortelei Noi, Acting Chief Director/Director of Policy Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation (PPME); Hamidu Adakrugu, Director of General Administration; and other officials from the MLJE.