Govt lifts suspension of Middle East Consultants

 

 

The company was suspended on January 10, following complaints of several young people that the company took their money to deploy them, which was not done within the agreed time.

 

While addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala, the Director of Labour, Martin Wandera said the complainants demanded to have their money refunded while others still wished to be placed by the company.

 

"We brought the complainants and the company together and they signed a Memorandum of Understanding where the company agreed to refund the money they had received from the complainant," he noted.

 

Wandera said Middle East Consultants paid 50% to the accounts of the concerned complainants and the other balance of 50% was paid by cheque.

 

He noted that given the fact that the conditions that warranted the suspension had been addressed, in accordance with the migrant workers' recruitment regulations, the Permanent Secretary lifted the suspension.

 

"They were suspended because there were certain challenges and as soon as they were addressed the suspension was lifted," he added.

 Martin Wandera, a Commissioner in the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development gives guidelines to Betty Nasenja, a Principal Immigration Officer at the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) and Geoffrey Kambere, a commissioner Immigrations control 

 

At the same briefing the  Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Frank Tumwebaze said the region is already working towards harmonizing labour migration policies.

 

He noted that a recently concluded Regional Ministerial Forum on the harmonisation of labour migration policies recommended several issues to be addressed urgently to easily address the challenges of labour migration in the region.  The event took place in Nairobi, Kenya between January 20th and 21st this year.

 

It was attended by ministers responsible for labour migration from Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan and Tanzania, supported by the International Organisation for Immigration (IOM).

 

Tumwebaze said the forum recommended all member countries to revise their laws to facilitate portability of social security benefits to include migrant workers.

They also agreed to establish a collaboration on diplomatic and consular assistance for migrant workers in particular countries where some states do not have diplomatic representation, while at the same time promote and support the role of diaspora in assisting migrant workers and protecting their rights in vulnerable situations. 

 

Other recommendations include; registration and regulation of private employment agencies and sharing the information on the registered agencies as well as the formation of regional associations to enhance self-regulation amongst private employment agencies, and promote access to justice by strengthening consular services including posting labour attachés for effective protection of the rights of immigrant workers in destination countries.

 

Tumwebaze said all private export labour recruitment companies should be profiled and trained to enforce harmonized standards and help stop human trafficking.

The Program Coordinator IOM, Erika De Bona Fofana said the regional collaboration by East African and Horn Africa on harmonization of labour migration can easily address labour migration challenges. Ends