Eight labour export companies won’t be conducting business after the government suspended their operational licenses over numerous cases that lead to human rights abuse.
The government through the ministry of gender, labour and social development on Monday said that some of the companies were suspended while others were de-registered.
The eight companies are part of the 216 firms which were registered and licensed to carry out labour recruitment and export which were registered as of June 14 this year.
Agnes Igoye, an officer attached to the office that Coordinates, monitors and oversees the Implementation of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act at the Internal Affairs Ministry, said that the affected companies were involved in forgery, human trafficking while for others, there complaints of human rights abuses.
“When Ugandans make complaints of human rights abuses or something like that, it is the gender ministry that is responsible for registering and pursuing the companies. They are eight companies and Ugandans should not go to these agencies because they are no longer responsible for labour recruitment and export,” said Igoye without delving into the fate of those who were already processing their travel through the affected companies.
The suspended companies include Middle East Consultants Limited, ALsawut Limited, Eagle Supervision Limited, Top Notch Recruitment Services, Fly International Jobs, Sahara Recruitment Agency Limited and Fobes Enterprises.
Igoye said: “Ugandans do not go and use these companies and if you see anybody working for these agencies pursuing you, please report to the authorities,” she said.
Igoye also warned the public against the rampant internal trafficking which is mainly done via online targeting children who are studying through the internet.
“Traffickers are not silent and they are looking for those to use for their services. But we want to encourage everybody to be on the lookout because fighting trafficking work is not only for the government or agencies alone but we have to work in collaboration,” she added.
According to Igoye, a person can be recruited from their respective phones, others are using social media like WhatsApp and facebook and that the recruiters are using relatives and friends.
Labour recruitment firms are regulated and monitored by the Uganda Association of External Recruitment Agencies (UAERA) together with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, which is the regulating body that ensures every company is licensed to externalize labour.
Data from Bank of Uganda shows that Uganda has tremendously benefited from remittances from the Middle East, which increased from $51.4m in 2010 to $309m by 2018.
As of 2018, the region contributed 23 per cent of the remittances, up from 7 percent in 2010.
A UAERA 2020 report indicates that at least 165,000 Ugandans work in several categories in the Middle East.
Also, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) reports show that between 2013 and 2017, the demand for migrant workers in the Middle East increased by 5.2 per cent, mainly attributed to the need for workers in the construction and services sector.
Labour recruitment firms source for job opportunities from all over the world with their major destination countries being in the Middle East, where the economies are sustainable and creating jobs.