Ho, Oct 27, GNA - As part of its advocacy on the new Labour Law Act 651, the National Labour Commission (NLC) is meting in Ho with representatives of the various labour and professional groupings under the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

Under the law, health delivery is one of the services classified as essential and whose workers are barred from withdrawing their services. The law however compensates such workers in the essential services with an expeditious line dispute resolution.

Representatives of nurses, doctors, and medical assistants, trade unions under the health service are attending the two-day workshop. Mr Paul Osei Mensah, a member of the NLC who opened the workshop, said the commission required the understanding, goodwill and support of not only the stakeholders but also the entire people of Ghana to achieve the objectives of the law.

He said the NLC, which wielded "enormous powers and authority to discharge its duties" was determined to carry out its duties without fear and favour.

Mr Mensah said the NLC was an important neutral body that is "independent and ensures that the government does not unduly interfere with industrial relations in the country".

It would, at the same time, ensure that the government did not abandon its responsibility for the well being of its citizens by not allowing disagreements between employers and employees to create hardships for the people.