In Ghana’s cocoa farming sector, the absence of formal contracts and limited awareness of labour rights have historically increased the risk of forced labour and fostered exploitative working relationships.
To address these challenges, the ICI has established Community Child and Labour Protection Committees in many cocoa-growing areas. The CCLPCs are composed of community members (representing different actors such as teachers, localized government representatives, traditional leaders, women, religious leaders and farm workers). These committees are trained on raising awareness of labour rights, responding to child labour and forced labour issues within their communities, referring cases to the appropriate district stakeholders when necessary, facilitating contract signing and providing community-based grievance resolution mechanisms.
Yaa Asantewaa, a representative of women on the Adinkra Community Child and Labour Protection Committee, shared how employees were exploited by their employers: “Many cocoa farmers used to withhold wages as well as making their workers spend longer hours on their farms due to verbal agreements.”
She added, “Now, a lot of landowners and employees have signed written contracts. We will emphasise the need for landowners and employees to sign written contracts when leasing farms for cocoa cultivation. Having legal documents helps prevent misunderstandings in the future.”
Opanin Kojo Akwaboah shared his experience after gaining knowledge on labour rights and written contracts from the community labour protection committee. He said, “I had to quit working for my employer who refused to sign a contract with me while I was working on his farm. With my knowledge on written contracts, I have signed a contract with my nephew to whom I have leased my land for cocoa farming. This will prevent any disputes in my absence.”
He added, “Contracts are relevant in all agreements. Every employer and employee should sign contracts and provide detailed information on their terms.”
Michael Asante, another committee member, highlighted the impact of ICI’s training on child labour, forced labour, and dispute resolution: “The one-week training provided us with a deeper understanding of child labour, forced labour, and dispute resolution. I now raise awareness about the importance of written contracts in churches and information centres. Since the committee began, misunderstandings between farmers and labourers have significantly declined. Issues that used to end up at police stations and even in court are resolved peacefully by the community protection labour committee.’’
Through ICI’s efforts, communities are witnessing improved labour relations, reduced disputes, and greater protection for vulnerable workers. Written contracts are becoming a cornerstone of fair and transparent agreements in cocoa farming, ensuring that both employers and employees understand and respect their rights.