Yaw Baah heads Kaizen Institute for Labour Economics -To lead advocacy on labour market policy

An institute dedicated to offering advice on labour market policy, industrial relations and productivity improvement, the Kaizen Institute for Labour Economics, has been inaugurated.

It is headed by a former Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr Anthony Yaw Baah, who is the Executive Director.

The Kaizen concept is a Japanese management philosophy that enables the implementation of best workplace practices to yield higher productivity levels.

The inauguration took place at Tema Community 25, where the institute is located.

The event attracted several dignitaries, including the Ambassador of Japan to Ghana, Yoshimoto Hiroshi,  Organised Labour leaders, including  Secretary-General of the TUC, Joshua Ansah; the acting Head of Labour Statistics Section, Ghana Statistical Service, Anthony Oduro-Denkyira; the Officer-in-Charge, International Labour Organisation, Ghana Office, David Marcos, and members of the TUC.

Also present was former TUC Secretary-General, Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, who chaired the function and the Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, who was a special guest.

Vision

Dr Baah explained that the establishment of the institute was to support social partners to collectively formulate and implement appropriate employment and wage policies, improve productivity and conduct peaceful industrial relations and social dialogue towards a sustainable socio-economic development based on the Kaizen principle of continuous development.

He said the rationale behind the establishment of the institute was to enhance the capabilities and competitiveness of government, employers’ organisations and trade by promoting the concept of Kaizen in labour market policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

He said the institute would, among others, offer advice to the government on social partnership and dialogue, as well as other labour-related issues, including ratification, application and reporting on International Labour Organisation Conventions and recommendations.

Efficiency

The Ambassador of Japan to Ghana, Yoshimoto Hiroshi, said the Kaizen philosophy, which was at the heart of the Kaizen Institute of Labour Economics’ vision, had played a very important role in Japan’s own development, driving innovation and efficiency, stressing that Kaizen was no longer a Japanese monopoly as it had now become a guiding force for many business and management philosophies worldwide.

Mr Hiroshi said as Ghana continued to grow and build its economy, it was essential to recognise that socio-economic development involved more than just the creation of jobs, adding that it also entailed ensuring that the work environment nurtured innovation, increased productivity and promoted the welfare of every individual, stressing that using the Kaizen concept as a foundation, institutions and governments could help establish conditions in promoting continuous and gradual improvement towards achieving Ghana’s development objectives.

“Japan’s own experience has shown that sustainable development and productivity growth are best achieved when public institutions, private enterprises and social partners work together towards a common vision,” he said.

The ambassador encouraged stakeholders to engage with the Kaizen Institute for Labour Economics as their mission could only be realised through collective effort.

Dr Thompson said productivity was a function of efficiency; hence, to improve productivity, one had to be efficient in the utilisation of the resources available, adding that that would form a key part of the new commission's research agenda.

Mr Adu-Amankwah said the Kaizen philosophy was clearly one that must be internalised to enable all to go beyond just the economic activities, adding that it must permeate every social relationship and how people relate to each other.