Ghana, Qatar Advance Labour Cooperation as Doha Seeks Skilled Ghanaian Workers

By: Solomon Nartey Tetteh

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced that the Labour Export Programme has received a significant boost as Qatar expressed immediate interest in recruiting Ghanaian professionals across several key sectors.

The minister disclosed on X that he held “a great meeting” with Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman Al Thani, Undersecretary at Qatar’s Ministry of Labour, as both countries fast-track efforts to formalise a bilateral labour cooperation framework.

According to Ablakwa, Qatar is ready to tap into Ghana’s skilled workforce, particularly in health, tourism, information technology, transport, and logistics, areas where the Gulf state continues to experience rising demand for qualified personnel.

He indicated that both countries have already made substantial progress toward a binding agreement. “Qatar has already ratified our labour cooperation agreement, with the Ghanaian Parliament expected to ratify it in the coming weeks,” he said.

Ghana has also requested that Qatar establish its West African Qatar Visa Centre in Accra to support labour mobility and streamline visa processing for Ghanaian workers bound for Doha.

Ablakwa added that Qatar consistently rates Ghanaian workers highly. “Qatari CEOs have commended Ghanaian workers for their impressive work ethic and high standards,” he noted,

He described the initiative as part of broader plans under the Mahama administration to expand economic opportunities for Ghanaian youth at home and abroad.

He further stated that the cooperation agreement would position Ghana as a key labour partner for Qatar in West Africa, opening new employment pathways in some of the region’s most competitive sectors.