The president of the Institute of Human Resources Management Practitioners (IHRMP) Ghana, Dr. Edward Kwapong, has on behalf of the Institute expressed gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo for assenting to the bill passed by Parliament that has given charter status to Human Resources Management Practitioners.
Reacting to the positive development, Dr. Kwapong explained: “The Institute of Human Resource Management Practitioners, Ghana (IHRMP) – which existed under the Professional Bodies Registration Act, 1973 (NRCD 143) – has now been established by an Act of Parliament, the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management Act, 2020 (Act 1020), and is known as The Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Ghana”.
The Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Ghana bill was assented to by President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo on August 13, 2020.
The Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Ghana, as stated in Section 2 of the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Act 2020 (Act 1020), is mandated to promote professional training in human resource management and regulate practice of the human resource management profession in Ghana.
The new Act 1020 provides functions of the Institute as follows:
- Promote the training and advancement of human resource management;
- Undertake and promote research in the discipline of human resource management;
- Promote public-private partnerships in respect of human resource management activities;
- Conduct professional examinations for the registration of human resource management practitioners;
- Certify individuals who attain the requisite qualifications to practice human resource management; and
- Perform any other functions that are ancillary to the object of the Institute among others.
Additionally, as custodian of the Code of Conduct in the practice of human resource management, the Act re-emphasises the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Ghana’s mandated monitoring role by ensuring members display the highest standards of professionalism and commitment to ethical conduct and utmost due care in all dealings.
The need for ethical behaviour and professionalism in the practice of human resource management is due to the critical role human resource management plays in the country’s economic and human capital development.
The Executive Director of IHRMP, Mr. Ebenezer Agbettor, revealed that Section 22 of the Act restricts use of the title ‘Chartered Human Resource Management Practitioner’ to a person who has successfully met all requirement of the professional human resource management examinations and holds the CHRMP, Ghana certificate recognised by the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Ghana.
In essence, the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Ghana, Act 2020 (Act 1020), creates a great opportunity for the Institute to enhance its collaboration with key stakeholders to further boost confidence in the human resource management profession, through professionalism and the assurance of a safe and sound human resource management environment.
It is therefore expected that corporate Ghana will continue to witness great transformation in the professional conduct of HRM practitioners, which will result in the improvement of corporate governance issues and ethical behaviour.
