Gov’t needs UGX 5bn annually to facilitate export of labour

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry for Gender Labour and Social Development wants 5 billion shillings annually to facilitate the exportation of labour abroad.

According to the Gender Minister, Peace Mutuuzo Regis, the money is needed to support the department of employment to facilitate the establishment of a one-stop centre for all Government agencies involved in clearance and support of Migrant workers.

According to the Ministry, the centre will house agencies like Internal and External Security Organizations, and Directorate of immigration.

Mutuuzo was on Thursday presenting a statement on the status of externalization of labour to Parliament following growing concern of mistreatment of Ugandan domestic workers in the Middle East Countries.

Mutuuzo says Government through the Ministry of Gender needs to be facilitated adequately to ensure many Ugandans acquire employment abroad. She requested Parliament to pass the funds.

The funds will also be used for finalization of the External Employment Information Management System which is meant to facilitate expeditious processing of licensing, vetting and clearance of migrant workers and will be linked with the immigration system and the foreign missions.

Mutuuzo says this will strengthen internal and external monitoring of Ugandan migrant workers and also strengthen community mobilization against trafficking for labour exploitation.

Mutuuzo says by signing bilateral agreements with Uganda labour export destinations, better working conditions are being established for Ugandans.

She says for instance following the signing of one Memorandum of Understanding in June with the United Arab Emirates,-UAE Ugandans will now formally be recognized by the Government.

Mutuuzo says this will stop human trafficking and mistreatment of Ugandans. According to Mutuuzo, up to 2,300 victims of human trafficking were rescued from Entebbe International Airport between January and June 2019.

Mutuuzo also adds that as it stands, they cannot ban export of labour as it only leads to human trafficking.

According to the Gender Ministry, there are 83,000 Ugandan workers in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, United Arabs Emirates, Afghanistan, Qatar, Bahrain, Syria, Kuwait, Jordan among others. About 600 million dollars is remitted by Ugandans working in those countries.

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