Labour export firms hit back at Bigirimana's directive to submit bank statements

A letter from Pius Bigirimana, the permanent secretary in the ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development directing firms that export labour to submit their financial statements has been met with a stone face.

In a June 5, 2019 letter, Bigirmana said Uganda Revenue Authority [URA] had requested for a list of employees working in each agency and bank statements.

“The purpose of this letter therefore, is to request you to submit the information requested for through Uganda Association of External Recruitment Agencies [UAERA] by June 10, 2019.”

But players in the industry have questioned the move.

Critics have questioned government's motives in asking for bank statements.

Many of them who spoke to The Nile Post on condition of anonymity said export of labour was regulated through well established laws like the Employment (Recruitment of Ugandan Migrant workers abroad Regulations Statutory Instrument number 62 of 2005 which does not  mention anywhere that the firms have to submit their bank statements.

One of them said such a move would run counter to the Bank of Uganda  Final Consumer Protection  Guidelines 2011under guideline 7(3)(a) which provides for safeguarding consumer information.

They said the move would tantamount to invasion of privacy by government.

"The Constitution of Republic of Uganda Article 27 explicitly recognises the right to privacy and calls for its protection. Privacy is a fundamental human right enshrined in numerous international human rights instruments such as Article 12 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is central to the protection of human dignity and forms the basis of any democratic society. It also supports and reinforces other rights such as freedom of expression, information and association," one of them said.

However, the ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development cited “vicious abuse of procedures” and “collusion in the ministry” following reports that some officials connive with external labour exporters to illegally clear underage girls to work as maids in Arab countries.