Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Hon Janet Mukwaya says Uganda has signed more bilateral agreements to protect Ugandan workers working in the Middle East Countries.
Over 80,000 citizens work in Jordan, UAE and other countries. The agreements were signed in effort to reduce unemployment in the country.
According to the minister, working contracts have been put in place to ensure that no circumstances of recent events will happen again on Ugandans who go to work abroad.
Hon Mukwaya added that the bilateral agreements have also been signed between specific countries for externalization of labour. “These follow Labour Laws of all countries in play together with those of Uganda. Only 154 Ugandan companies have been licensed to take Ugandans abroad to work” she noted.
She also noted that employment fees being charged on employees working abroad are supposed to be on the recruiters. Adding that Security, Foreign, Internal Affairs and her ministry will continue monitoring so that this is implemented. There’s also effort to stop human trafficking.
“Every 5 years, we shall be reviewing the bilateral agreements. There was laxity too in implementing and management of the rules, laws and regulations by these companies that take people to work abroad. have asked recruiting companies to let employees working abroad manage their bank accounts.
We have 52,000 immigrants in Oman but we don’t have a bilateral agreement with the country, I’m working on that as well. We shall be dealing with only licensed companies” she added.