By Chisomo Phiri
The Ministry of Labour has said some procedures were not followed in the recruitment of Malawians into the labour export agreement which Malawi signed with the Israel government.
Minister of Labour Agness NyaLonje said this at the Ministry’s offices at Capital Hill in Lilongwe on Monday where she held a joint press briefing with Minister of Information and Digitalisation Moses Kunkuyu.
Responding to a question at the presser, she said:”Some procedures were not followed. The Ministry of Labour got a request to recruit and the request was cleared before we could alert our colleagues in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to do the due diligence on the companies that wanted to import labour from Malawi.”
According to Ministry of Labour guidelines, the ministries of Labour and Foreign Affairs are supposed to check the authenticity and legality of the recruiting agents and companies in the host countries.
Nyalonje then issued a stern warning to Malawians seeking employment abroad and drew attention to a troubling trend where some individuals are bypassing regulations and opting for recruitment through uncertified agencies.
“The government has taken note of this issue and is actively collaborating with certified recruitment agencies that have obtained clarification from the Ministry of Labour,” Nyalonje said.
Emphasizing the need for informed decision-making, Nyalonje urged Malawians to be vigilant and thoroughly understand the nature of work when pursuing opportunities abroad.
The Minister stressed the government’s commitment to the safety and security of its citizens working overseas.
To reinforce this commitment, Nyalonje outlined specific steps and guidelines that the government has implemented.
She urged individuals to be fully aware of the conditions and nature of the jobs they are signing up for before embarking on international employment.
On his part, Minister of Information Mosses Kunkuyu, emphasized that the guidelines that were established since 2016, advocate for equal opportunities for all Malawians seeking international labor.
He said the government has instituted a program to ensure adherence to these guidelines, aiming to protect Malawian citizens by providing clarity on the nature of overseas employment.
He then urged recruitment agencies in the country not to cut corners but rather communicate the requirements needed for foreign opportunities to the recruits to avoid misunderstandings in the recruitment process.
