Internship Agreement (Ghana)

An Internship Agreement in Ghana sets out the rights, duties and consideration binding the parties to it.

Section 71 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) authorises the Minister responsible for Labour to make regulations governing apprenticeships and training, in consultation with the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) and the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET). The NVTI, established under the National Vocational Training Institute Act 1970 (Act 351), is the principal body responsible for the registration, regulation, and certification of apprenticeship and technical training programmes in Ghana. COTVET, established under the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training Act 2006 (Act 718), oversees the broader technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system in Ghana.

Many internship programmes in Ghana are linked to government youth employment programmes including the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Development Agency (GYEEDA) and the National Service Secretariat (NSS), which administers the compulsory national service programme for graduates of Ghanaian universities and polytechnics under the National Service Scheme Act 1980 (SMCD 175) and the National Service Scheme (Amendment) Act 2016 (Act 926). National Service personnel posted to private organisations are technically governed by the NSS Act and the NSS Placement Agreement, not by the Labour Act 2003 directly.

The Internship Agreement differs from an Employment Contract in that an intern is generally not an employee entitled to the full statutory protections of Act 651 — including minimum wage, annual leave, and SSNIT registration — unless the arrangement is structured as an apprenticeship contract under which the intern receives remuneration and is treated as a worker under Act 651. The distinction is important because misclassification of an employee as an intern can expose the host organisation to claims before the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the Labour Division of the High Court.

Ghana's internship landscape is supported by industry partnerships with the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), the Ghana Employers Association (GEA), the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), and the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), which support structured internship programmes between universities, polytechnics, and the private sector.

The legal framework governing the Internship Agreement (Ghana) in Ghana draws on several key statutes and regulatory bodies. Under the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651), the National Labour Commission (NLC) adjudicates workplace disputes in Ghana. Section 12 of the Labour Act 2003 requires written terms of employment. The National Pensions Act 2008 (Act 766) mandates employer contributions to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT). The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) administers PAYE under the Income Tax Act 2015 (Act 896). The Labour Division of the High Court hears employment appeals. Parties executing a Internship Agreement (Ghana) in Ghana should confirm the document reflects current law, including any amendments enacted since the original drafting date. The Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) sets the foundational requirements.

An Internship Agreement in Ghana is required whenever a business, organisation, or government entity engages an intern, student trainee, or National Service personnel on a structured placement to protect both parties and clarify their respective rights and obligations.

An Internship Agreement is required when a company incorporated under the Companies Act 2019 (Act 992) and registered with the Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) engages a university student from the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Cape Coast, or any other Ghanaian tertiary institution for an industrial attachment or vacation internship, to document the placement terms and protect the company's confidential information.

An Internship Agreement is needed when a professional services firm in Accra — including law firms affiliated with the Ghana Bar Association, accounting firms registered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG), and engineering firms licensed by the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) — engages trainee professionals as part of their mandatory professional development requirements.

An Internship Agreement is required when a company engages a National Service personnel posted by the National Service Secretariat (NSS) under the National Service Scheme Act 1980 (SMCD 175), to supplement the NSS Placement Agreement with organisation-specific rules on confidentiality, duties, and workplace conduct.

An Internship Agreement is needed when an NGO, international organisation, or development agency operating in Ghana engages interns — whether Ghanaian or foreign — on unpaid or stipend-based programmes, to comply with Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) work permit requirements for non-Ghanaian interns and to document the nature of the placement.

An Internship Agreement is required when a startup company in Ghana wishes to engage interns as part of its talent pipeline, confirming the company's intellectual property, trade secrets, and client information are protected under the confidentiality provisions of the agreement.

A well-drafted Internship Agreement in Ghana protects the host organisation from claims of employment misclassification before the National Labour Commission (NLC) and confirms the intern understands the non-employment nature of the placement.

A valid Internship Agreement in Ghana under the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) must contain the following essential elements.

Parties: Full legal names and addresses of the host organisation (employer) — including the company registration number if incorporated under the Companies Act 2019 (Act 992) — and the intern, together with the name of the intern's academic institution or referring body (if applicable).

Internship Role and Duties: A description of the intern's role, primary tasks and responsibilities, the department or team to which the intern is assigned, and the name and title of the intern's supervisor.

Duration and Hours: The start date and end date of the internship, the number of working days per week, and working hours. For industrial attachment interns, the duration should align with the requirements of the intern's academic programme at their Ghanaian university or polytechnic.

Stipend and Allowances: Whether the internship is paid or unpaid, and if paid, the monthly stipend amount in Ghana Cedis (GHS) and whether transport, meals, or other allowances are provided. Where the intern is a National Service personnel, the NSS monthly allowance rates set by the National Service Secretariat apply.

Confidentiality: The intern's obligation to protect the host organisation's confidential information, trade secrets, and client data during and after the internship, enforceable under Ghanaian contract law and the Data Protection Act 2012 (Act 843).

Intellectual Property: Confirmation that all work product, inventions, and creative works produced by the intern during the placement vest in the host organisation, consistent with Section 16 of the Copyright Act 2005 (Act 690).

Termination: The notice required to end the internship early by either party, and the grounds for immediate termination (gross misconduct, serious breach of confidentiality).

Non-Employment Statement: A clause confirming that the intern is not an employee of the host organisation and is not entitled to the statutory employment benefits under the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) unless otherwise agreed in writing. Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point for Ghana employment documentation.

Additional compliance elements for a Internship Agreement (Ghana) used in Ghana include: Under the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651), the National Labour Commission (NLC) adjudicates workplace disputes in Ghana. Section 12 of the Labour Act 2003 requires written terms of employment. The National Pensions Act 2008 (Act 766) mandates employer contributions to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT). The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) administers PAYE under the Income Tax Act 2015 (Act 896). The Labour Division of the High Court hears employment appeals. Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point for Ghana-compliant documentation.