Recruitment agencies in the country are planning to stage a demonstration over the decision by government to maintain the ban on labour recruitment for the Gulf countries.
According to the association, the freeze on their operations for the past one year, is hugely affecting their economic condition.
The government over a year ago, placed a moratorium on the export of labour to the gulf region, to pave way for the recruitment industry to be sanitized, following high reports of abuse of Ghanaian labour migrants in the Gulf countries.
Recently, the recruitment agencies have called for the lifting of the ban with the assurance that the right structures have been implemented to ensure that only licensed agencies operate in the industry, but the Labour Ministry has remained adamant.
The ban imposed by government in May 2017 prevents all 54 members of the Ghana Association for Private Employment Agencies (GHAPEA) from recruiting and migrating Ghanaian skilled and unskilled labourers to the Gulf countries including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Lebanon.
A text message inviting members for the demonstration said their action will be peaceful and intended to get the government to lift the suspension.
“The Licensed Labour Recruitment Agencies and other unemployed youth groups will embark on a peace walk/demonstration to demand that government lifts the suspension on their legitimate business,” a text by the group said.
“The ban has given rise to illegal migration of Ghanaians through some illegal operators, while members of the Association, who are supposed to be at the forefront of facilitating the export of Ghanaian labour migrants abroad are out of job.
“The illegal agents cannot be bothered, because they are under the table. They do not have any records, they pay no taxes and they just carry on,” Chairman of GHAPEA, Alhaji Saeed Shereef bemoaned at a press conference.
By ADR Daily Newsdesk
