The Institute of Human Resources Management Practitioners (IHRMP) has intensified efforts towards securing a Charter status for Human Resource Management (HRM) practitioners in Ghana.
The Institute believes that the charter status would help to enhance and promote the HRM profession in the country for the benefit of the labour industry.
As part of the efforts, the Institute is pushing for the passage of the HR Bill which is being considered by the government.
Mr. Ebenezer Agbettor, Executive Director of IHRMP, told ADR Daily in Accra that “the Charter status is a mark of professional competency, and the reason IHRMP seeks to attain this class is to act as the governing body for HR practitioners, and with the aid of the HR bill, Human Resource Management professionals would have an official stand in the country,” he added.
“An institution is granted the title of Charter only by law. This title gives us the power to regulate the profession, meaning that we are the governing body of all HR practitioners and we regulate the practices and duties of HR practitioners,” he explained.
Touching on the present state of the HR Bill, he said the bill which was submitted to the Ministry of Education, has been forwarded to the Attorney General for review and submission to Cabinet for consideration and onward submission to Parliament.
He hoped that the bill would soon be submitted to Cabinet for approval.
“ The main aim of the bill seeks not only to provide HR Practitioners with a guide to ensure that they are always in line with the code and ethics that governs HR practice but also grants IHRMP the authority to certify practitioners as certified Human Resource Practitioners.
“Currently we all move about with a mental guideline, but with the passing of the bill, there would be a physical representation of the code and conducts for the HR practitioner. This will aid in preventing practitioners from behaving unethically.
Mr Agbettor explained that “the bill grants us the authority to be the deciding council to grant certification to HR practitioners as well as serves as a guide to curb improper actions of HR practitioners within the country.”
Explaining the journey of the bill, he indicated that the bill has been shifted around for the past eight years.
“In the past we pushed the bill through the Ministry of Employment then from there to the Attorney General. This was during President Atta Mills’ administration, but with his untimely passing, it was pushed aside.
“IHRMP attempted again in President Mahama’s administration, and this time it moved all the way to Cabinet, but just before it could be moved to Parliament, there was a change in administration.
“On the advice of a representative from the Attorney General, IHRMP decided to push the bill through the Ministry of Education, and currently the bill is with the Attorney General waiting to be reviewed before it is sent back to the Ministry of Education for onward submission to Cabinet,” he said.
By Fred Gadese-Mensah/adrdaily.com
