Only 172 of 1,012 complaints filed by Ugandans abroad resolved

Legislators on the Central Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have questioned the government’s commitment to resolving complaints raised by Ugandans working abroad, after it emerged that only 172 of 1,012 cases reported to the ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development had been resolved.

The MPs were responding to the Auditor General’s report, which showed that the ministry had resolved just 17 per cent of complaints involving trafficking, workers who had abandoned their jobs, deaths, repatriation and refunds.

The figures came under scrutiny as the committee questioned the ministry’s permanent secretary, Aggrey David Kibenge, over what MPs described as the slow response to complaints involving migrant workers.

Only one of the 101 reported trafficking cases had been resolved, while none of the 290 cases involving workers who had abandoned their employers had been resolved. Similarly, none of the four reported cases of illegal recruitment had been resolved.

Wakiso Woman MP Betty Ethel Naluyima demanded an explanation for what she described as the ministry’s poor response to complaints involving migrant workers.

The committee also scrutinised figures submitted by the ministry showing that only 32 of 133 Ugandans who sought refunds for money paid to recruitment agencies had received a resolution.

Of the 204 requests for repatriation, only 36 had been resolved, while 24 of the 46 reported cases involving deaths had been handled. The MPs said the figures raised questions about the ministry’s ability to coordinate a programme that has become an important avenue for young Ugandans seeking employment abroad.

They also questioned the effectiveness of bank guarantees required from recruitment agencies, particularly what happens when the guarantees expire before complaints against the companies are resolved.

Kibenge told the committee that licensed recruitment agencies are required to provide a Shs 100 million bank guarantee before receiving a licence. The guarantee, he said, can be liquidated if a recruitment company is found culpable and fails to meet its obligations to a migrant worker.

He said the ministry monitors the guarantees and does not renew the licence of a company whose guarantee has expired and has not been renewed. Kibenge said labour externalisation was introduced as a government response to the growing number of Ugandans travelling abroad for employment, with the aim of regulating recruitment and protecting migrant workers.

Under the programme, recruitment companies are required to recruit workers against verified job orders, sign agreements with workers and work with licensed employers and Ugandan diplomatic missions in destination countries.

Workers are also required to undergo 14 days of pre-departure training and orientation to prepare them for the culture, technology and working environment in destination countries.

However, Kibenge acknowledged that some agencies continue to operate without licences, creating additional risks for Ugandans seeking jobs abroad. The committee was told that Uganda currently has about 257 licensed labour recruitment companies.

Milton Turyasiima, assistant commissioner for employment services, told MPs that the programme generates about Shs 4 billion in non-tax revenue annually, although the money is paid into the consolidated fund rather than directly to the ministry of Gender.

He said the ministry received about Shs 2 billion during the financial year under review to coordinate and manage labour externalisation, but no additional funds were released during the year-end review.

Kibenge attributed some of the ministry’s difficulties in following up complaints to inadequate funding, saying the ministry had not received all the money it expected from the Ministry of Finance despite the programme generating revenue for government.

The explanation, however, did not satisfy the MPs, who questioned whether inadequate funding could account for the low rate of complaint resolution.

The committee also raised concerns over unlicensed recruitment agencies and how job seekers can distinguish legitimate companies from fraudsters.

MPs noted that the ministry had previously identified and reported unlicensed agencies but questioned how young Ugandans, particularly those desperate for employment, can establish whether companies advertising jobs abroad are authorised.

They also demanded an explanation over reports that hundreds of companies had been deregistered, arguing that the continued emergence of unlicensed operators exposes Ugandans to trafficking, exploitation and financial loss.

The committee further questioned coordination between the ministries of Gender and Foreign Affairs, particularly in countries with large populations of Ugandan migrant workers.

MPs said Ugandan embassies in destination countries should have dedicated labour officers to respond to distressed migrant workers and coordinate complaints, similar to the specialised officials deployed by other government agencies abroad.

They cited Saudi Arabia, one of the biggest destinations for Ugandan migrant workers, where the embassy has previously complained about inadequate resources to support distressed Ugandans.

The lawmakers said the absence of dedicated labour officers at some missions makes it difficult for government to respond quickly to workers facing abuse, disputes with employers, deaths and other emergencies.

MPs also questioned why migrant workers abandon their employers despite signing two-year employment contracts. Kibenge explained that some workers become “runaways” after being persuaded by friends or relatives to leave their contracted employers for what they believe are better opportunities elsewhere.

He said such cases can complicate efforts to hold recruitment companies responsible because the worker may have violated the terms of the employment agreement.

The MPs, however, insisted that the ministry should establish why workers abandon their employers in the first place, arguing that such cases could indicate poor working conditions, exploitation or discrepancies between the jobs advertised in Uganda and the conditions workers encounter abroad.

The committee also raised concern over allegations that some migrant workers have their personal documents confiscated by employers after arriving in destination countries.

MPs said such practices could expose Ugandans to exploitation and restrict their freedom of movement, urging the ministry to clarify the safeguards contained in labour agreements.

The lawmakers further demanded information on the number of bilateral labour agreements Uganda has signed with destination countries and the specific role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in protecting migrant workers.

They said labour externalisation had been presented as a major government response to unemployment and could generate significant foreign exchange earnings if properly managed.

The committee said government must demonstrate its commitment to the programme by investing in monitoring, complaint resolution, labour officers abroad and stronger enforcement against unlicensed recruitment agencies.

MPs said the ministry of Gender cannot promote labour externalisation as an employment strategy while failing to provide adequate protection and timely responses to Ugandans who encounter problems after being recruited to work abroad.

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