Fake job agency opens centre in Uganda
Sep 26, 2011
UGANDAN job seekers could become victims to a job scam. This comes after a fake job recruitment agency implicated in fleecing Cameroonian job seekers set up shop in the country.
By Carol Kasujja and Raymond Baguma
UGANDAN job seekers could become victims to a job scam. This comes after a fake job recruitment agency implicated in fleecing Cameroonian job seekers set up shop in the country.
The International Employment and Travel Agency (IEA) located in Naalya, is run by Evason Claire Nomi alias Dr. Elvison Ngasso.
The agency claims to help job seekers secure jobs in Canada.
Ngasso allegedly evaded arrest by authorities in Cameroon in August.
This revelation comes after the Police at Kiwatule Police Postlast week recorded a case byagency staff that the director (Ngasso) had gone missing at a time when a group of job seekers was set to depart for Canada.
According to a Police Officer who spoke to New Vision on condition of anonymity, the complaint was filed by the agency’s marketing manager only identified as Farouk.
Ibn Ssenkumbi, the Deputy Police spokesperson Kampala Metropolitan, last Friday confirmed the case. He said the case was transferred from Kiwatule to Kira Road Police Station, adding that Nganso is wanted for obtaining money by false pretence.
An August 2011 article in Cameroon’s The Post online newspaper, links Ngasso to duping over shs840m from Cameroonian job seekers.
Nganso reportedly evaded arrest, but his elder sister CeferyNdepeh, was arrested by authorities in Cameroon.
According to The Post, Nganso ran a recruitment agency with a name similar to that of the one in Uganda.
New Vision got alerts about Ngasso’s activities by an on-line concerned reader.
“Even if the agency is real, his approach is wrong. North American countries do not recruit workers through such methods. This is the first indication of cheating. Ngasso should be challenged to mention companies where he has sent workers with their contacts here in America or Canada,†read the e-mail.
After the article was published in the Cameroonian media, it attracted responses from people claiming to be readers.
They defended Ngasso and thanked him for enabling them secure jobs. The readers also provided fake phone numbers.
The Post reported that Nganso identified himself as a medical doctor and son of General Nganso from Yaoundé.
Nganso reportedly lured unsuspecting job seekers whom his agency could help them get jobs in Canada and help tourists go to Scandinavian countries.
The job seekers would then sign contract forms with the agency accepting that they would go to Canada through a lottery scheme.
Ngasso issued them with signed certificates of employment from Canadian institutions.
He also allegedly charged a registration fee, information processing fees, visa processing fees, including accommodation levy and flight ticket funds from each job seeker.
The job seekers then signed agreements in which they authorised Nganso to retain 10% of their salaries for the first 10 months in employment. He also promised them Canadian citizenship within two months on arrival.
However, the job recruits were expected to buy flight tickets through his travel agency or risk having their programme cancelled.
Nganso, however, provided them with only reservation notices without flight tickets. He also retained their passports and only gave them photocopies of the allegedly issued visas.
On its website the agency’s profile shows that it was founded in 2004, by a Swedish, Magdalena Van Oevellen Saripanidou, in 1998.
Its headquarters are in Cameroon with offices in Chad, Gabon, Guinea Equatorial, Ghana, Nigeria, Central African Republic and Uganda.
When New Vision visited the agency’s office in the plush residential Naalya area, the staff present said the recruitment exercise for this year had ended.
They explained that another exercise would be carried out in January 2012.
UGANDAN job seekers could become victims to a job scam. This comes after a fake job recruitment agency implicated in fleecing Cameroonian job seekers set up shop in the country.
The International Employment and Travel Agency (IEA) located in Naalya, is run by Evason Claire Nomi alias Dr. Elvison Ngasso.
The agency claims to help job seekers secure jobs in Canada.
Ngasso allegedly evaded arrest by authorities in Cameroon in August.
This revelation comes after the Police at Kiwatule Police Postlast week recorded a case byagency staff that the director (Ngasso) had gone missing at a time when a group of job seekers was set to depart for Canada.
According to a Police Officer who spoke to New Vision on condition of anonymity, the complaint was filed by the agency’s marketing manager only identified as Farouk.
Ibn Ssenkumbi, the Deputy Police spokesperson Kampala Metropolitan, last Friday confirmed the case. He said the case was transferred from Kiwatule to Kira Road Police Station, adding that Nganso is wanted for obtaining money by false pretence.
An August 2011 article in Cameroon’s The Post online newspaper, links Ngasso to duping over shs840m from Cameroonian job seekers.
Nganso reportedly evaded arrest, but his elder sister CeferyNdepeh, was arrested by authorities in Cameroon.
According to The Post, Nganso ran a recruitment agency with a name similar to that of the one in Uganda.
New Vision got alerts about Ngasso’s activities by an on-line concerned reader.
“Even if the agency is real, his approach is wrong. North American countries do not recruit workers through such methods. This is the first indication of cheating. Ngasso should be challenged to mention companies where he has sent workers with their contacts here in America or Canada,†read the e-mail.
After the article was published in the Cameroonian media, it attracted responses from people claiming to be readers.
They defended Ngasso and thanked him for enabling them secure jobs. The readers also provided fake phone numbers.
The Post reported that Nganso identified himself as a medical doctor and son of General Nganso from Yaoundé.
Nganso reportedly lured unsuspecting job seekers whom his agency could help them get jobs in Canada and help tourists go to Scandinavian countries.
The job seekers would then sign contract forms with the agency accepting that they would go to Canada through a lottery scheme.
Ngasso issued them with signed certificates of employment from Canadian institutions.
He also allegedly charged a registration fee, information processing fees, visa processing fees, including accommodation levy and flight ticket funds from each job seeker.
The job seekers then signed agreements in which they authorised Nganso to retain 10% of their salaries for the first 10 months in employment. He also promised them Canadian citizenship within two months on arrival.
However, the job recruits were expected to buy flight tickets through his travel agency or risk having their programme cancelled.
Nganso, however, provided them with only reservation notices without flight tickets. He also retained their passports and only gave them photocopies of the allegedly issued visas.
On its website the agency’s profile shows that it was founded in 2004, by a Swedish, Magdalena Van Oevellen Saripanidou, in 1998.
Its headquarters are in Cameroon with offices in Chad, Gabon, Guinea Equatorial, Ghana, Nigeria, Central African Republic and Uganda.
When New Vision visited the agency’s office in the plush residential Naalya area, the staff present said the recruitment exercise for this year had ended.
They explained that another exercise would be carried out in January 2012.