By Our Reporter
The government of Ugandan has relaxed restrictions on externalization of labor to enable companies involved in the sourcing of external employment for migrant workers abroad are to resume business.
“This is to inform all licensed companies involved in the sourcing of external employment for Ugandan migrant workers, that following the relaxing of a number of COVID lockdown measures by Ministry of Health and resumption of air travel, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development will be lifting the ban on labour export by licensed companies in accordance with the existing mandatory Covid SOPs for all travelers,” Labour Minister, Mr Frank Tumwebaze tweeted on Tuesday.
Mr Tumwebaze further said his ministry’s Permanent Secretary will issue a detailed statement on the matter.
Labour externalization, especially among Ugandan youth who look for jobs in the Middle East, became one of the unprecedented causalities of Covid-19 when government instituted drastic measures to contain the outbreak in Uganda.
The suspension of labour exportation effective March 18th, 2020 by the Ministry of Gender, and the subsequent closure of Entebbe International Airport and border points halted international travel, deepening the uncertainty in the labour externalization sector.
The containment measures adopted in the main destinations, like Saudi Arabia as well as those adopted in Uganda, restricted international travel, thus raising concerns on whether increasing employment opportunities through labour exports, is still a viable source of employment for the youth.