Ghana- 1st- Small and medium enterprises (SMEs)

By Daniel Morris | 4. November 2025

CHAPTER: 3 BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

3.3.12 Regulation of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises and the Informal Sector

Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) constitute about 90% of registered businesses in Ghana and account for 80% of total employment. In terms of output, MSMEs account for 70% of Gross Domestic Product⁵¹. Despite the potential to accelerate economic development, productive employment and wealth creation, many of the MSMEs have these key business and human rights gaps:

Absence of contracts of employment
Exploitative contracts of employment
Non-unionization of workers
Non-adherence to minimum wage payment
Non-payment of social security contribution
Denial of workers’ right to leave, eg. annual leave, maternity leave
Non-adherence to safety protocols and standards at the workplace
Inadequate or no provision of protective gear for workers
Inadequate sanitary facilities