The Migrant Labour General Workers' Union International (MLGWUI) has marked this year’s International Migrants’ Day in Accra.

The theme for the ceremony is "Promoting Entrepreneurial Skills in Labour Migration: Organising Migrants for Justice Is A Resilience To Meet Post COVID-19 Global Employment Deficit."

Addressing participants in the ceremony to mark the day, the General Secretary, Justice Baako Ntarmah underscored the need for the protection of the rights of migrants.

“On 4 December 2000, the UN General Assembly, taking into account the large and increasing number of Migrants in the world, officially proclaimed 18 December of every year since then International Migrants Day.

The date was chosen because it was on 18 December 1990 that the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families,” he said.

Mr. Ntarmah added that as a member of the UN, Ghana has ensured that the rights of workers, including migrants have been guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution.

“In Ghana, article 24 (3) of the 1992 Constitution states, "Every Worker has a right to form or join a trade union of his/her choice for the promotion and the protection of his economic and social interests,"he said

He noted that by protecting the rights of migrants, "at last seventeen (17) of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets can be achieved."

The General Secreatary used the occasion to appreciate the International Organisation for Migration and partners for the facilitating the free voluntary returning of Migrants.

“Trade Unions such as WFTU; Greece, ITUC, UIS, France; PAM/Services Union; Finland, Industrial as well as national unions in various countries including Ghana are still integrating Migrant Workers and Refugees into unionism since  adoption of UN Convention 1990,” he disclosed.  

Membership of MLGWUI is composed of African nationals as well as other nationals, both home and in the diaspora.