Labour export firms look towards brighter future amidst challenges

Despite being a lucrative economic venture on the side of hundreds of firms involved in the business, labor export has often drawn mixed reactions from the public.

One of the unhealthy criticisms slapped onto the sector by human rights activists is the suffering inflicted onto exported labourers, especially on the side of those who seek greener pastures in the Middle East countries.

Edson Byaruhanga, the Managing Director, Horeb Services, one of the hundreds of firms involved in exporting labor to foreign countries contends that harassment of workers is not limited to any single country although it must be condemned.

"Harassment of labourers I think happens in all places even in Uganda labourers are harassed. Therefore in Arab countries the same happens," he said.

Byaruhanga however offers assurance that labourers exported to Arab countries are closely monitored at least those who go through his firm.

"We have agencies that we externalise our labourers to. We have our coordinators. Their main role is to make sure that the clauses of the contract that we sign with these agencies are followed," he said.

He said some of the workers who are harassed are those that are smuggled to those countries through illegal means.

Just like other sectors of the economy that have been hit hard by Covid-19, the labour export business has not been spared.

However with the relaxation of the Covid-19 restrictions, labor recruitment agencies like Horeb Services have since resumed their operations.