Kuwait, Lebanon Recruitment Agencies To Demonstrate Over Suspension

Labour recruitment agencies in the country have threatened to demonstrate after the government suspended their operations for the past one year.

The members of the Ghana Association of Private Employment Agencies (GHAPEA), argue that the freeze on their operations is affecting their economic condition.

In a text informing and inviting members for the demonstration, it said their demonstration 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.'

In May 2017, the government banned all 54 members of GHAPEA from recruiting and migrating Ghanaian skilled and unskilled to the Arab world.

The government took this action following allegations that some Ghanaian migrant workers are abused by the employers in Gulf countries like Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, among others.

'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 labourers 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.