Ghana to Strengthen Cooperatives as Key Driver of Inclusive Economic Growth — Pelpuo
Labour Minister calls for reforms to position cooperatives as strategic pillars for jobs, youth empowerment, and national development
The Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, has described Ghana’s cooperative model as one of the most resilient tools for achieving inclusive economic development.
He noted that from its origins in 19th-century Europe to its expansion across Africa and Asia, cooperative enterprises have consistently proven effective in organising labour, sharing risks, and ensuring a more equitable distribution of value.
According to him, cooperatives worldwide involve over one billion people and play a major role in job creation and enterprise growth. In many advanced economies, he added, they are fully integrated into national development systems as core economic structures rather than peripheral actors.
Dr. Pelpuo stressed that the real policy issue for Ghana is not the relevance of cooperatives, but whether the country is intentionally using them as a strategic tool for development.
He explained that in Ghana, cooperatives operate across agriculture, finance, housing, trade, and labour organisations, offering important economic opportunities for women, young people, and informal sector workers.
However, he acknowledged persistent challenges such as fragmentation, weak governance, limited access to affordable finance, and outdated regulatory systems that have slowed the sector’s growth and impact.
He made these remarks at a national stakeholders’ forum on cooperatives held in Accra, adding that these constraints have prevented the sector from reaching its full potential in supporting national development goals.
Dr. Pelpuo further stated that the government’s 24-Hour Economy policy presents an opportunity to reposition cooperatives as structured economic actors within the broader MSME ecosystem.
He emphasized that cooperatives are not only economic entities but also labour systems that influence employment conditions, income distribution, workplace governance, and social protection.
He outlined three key priorities for the Ministry: improving regulatory alignment with decent work standards, expanding structured job opportunities for young people through cooperatives, and strengthening coordination among government institutions for effective policy implementation.
He concluded that the success of the forum would depend not on the number of participants, but on the quality of outcomes and practical impact achieved.
