KYENJOJO- Western Youth MP Mwine Mpaka has hit at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development over alleged exploitation of Ugandans working abroad.
Mr Mpaka said the ministry signs contracts with recruiting companies and gets money for licencing.
“The ministry legalises companies that recruit our youth to work abroad,” he said.
Mr Mpaka was addressing youth leaders in Kyenjojo District last Wednesday. He urged government to adopt a minimum wage to allow more investments in the county.
Mr Mpaka said about 40, 000 Ugandans go to work abroad annually, adding that this helps reduce the unemployment burden.
The MP argues that the ministry should scrutinise recruiting companies before licensing them but shouldn’t stop them from taking people abroad.
“Labour exploitation is not only abroad but even here in Uganda. We don’t have a minimum wage. Let us also clean our house as we look at people working abroad,” he said.
“If we say a bar attendant should earn Shs500,000, this may be applicable in Kampala city but investors will fear to invest in villages because it won’t make economic sense,” he observed.
He said government should embrace labour unions so that workers negotiate salaries as a team.
Mr Mpaka disclosed that government is set to recruit 100,000 workers in the oil pipeline construction.
He, however, appealed to authorities to give priority to Ugandan youth.
Kyenjojo Woman MP Baguma Spelanza said the Youth MP should lobby government to attract more investors in the country so that they can create more jobs for the youth.
editorial@ug.nationmedia.com
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