The government has opened a Bunyoro regional satellite Office at the Hoima Service Uganda Center in Kasingo, Hoima City to help tackle the emerging challenges and provide support to migrant workers.
In his speech presented by Ruth Gyayo the Principal Inspector during a stakeholders’ engagement held today at Hoima District headquarters Kumumanya the permanent secretary for Ministry of local government emphasized the satellite office is meant to provide solutions to several challenges of migrant workers, avail data and also help migrant workers access timely information.
He said the officer should be used to help returnees more especially women from Arab countries, provide rehabilitation and guidance redressing their grievances.
The satellite office will be supported by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and other partners like the International Organization for Migrant workers-IOM.
Mr Mupeyi Denis a senior Labour Officer in the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development reported that there are over 350,000 young women in Arab countries as migrant workers with the largest number coming from Bunyoro region. He added that there are several Ugandans working as migrant workers in countries like Russia, Cambodia, Miynmar, Ukraine, Iran and Iraq. These according to Mupeyi are difficult to track and assist when the fall in trouble more especially in conflict zones.
He says the security agencies and local leaders should profile returnees from such troubled countries for security purposes. He added that the support center will help streamline the externalization of labour.
The Hoima Assistant Resident City Commissioner Nsasire Grace has urged all stakeholders to help address challenges of migrant workers more especially in places where young girls are being trafficked to Arab counties in the name of getting them high paying jobs and end up losing their lives.
