Kenyans have been put on high alert following a surge in the number of “unscrupulous” recruiting agencies for overseas jobs.
Labour and Skills Development Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime revealed Tuesday that they have already flagged a total of 16 agencies operating without the necessary certifications.
The probe was done by the Ministry in collaboration with DCI and police.
This, as it urged those looking for jobs abroad to conduct due diligence to avoid falling prey to such fraudsters.
“The ministry wishes to notify Kenyans that all job advertisements or any job offers or demand letters must have been approved by the Director General, National Employment Authority,” Mwadime said in a statement to newsrooms.
It comes in the wake of yet another scandal in Eldoret, where some 300 people are said to have been coned money with promises of non-existent jobs in Canada.
The company is alleged to have taken Sh300,000 and Sh350,000 from the residents for their visas and other requirements.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii has since ordered a crackdown on individuals and groups suspected to be behind it.
In a statement, Bii said the county will work with security agencies to arrest those who have tarnished the image of the new City of Eldoret and turned it into the “home of scammers”.
Residents have in the last three years lost millions in such deals, which are under police investigations.
“Our attention has been drawn to recent media reports that have repeatedly portrayed our city, Eldoret, as a hub for scammers,” Bii said.
Mwadime has at the same time stressed on the need for job seekers intending to travel out to ensure that all foreign contracts of employment are attested by the designated Labour officers at the ministry’s offices before the purchase of air tickets to travel to the country of destination.
“The attestation process is done online through the National Employment Authority website (NEAIMS.GO.KE), including downloading and uploading necessary documentation,” he said.
The list of registered private employment and recruitment agencies can be accessed through the Neaims portal, with agencies listed in the back having valid licences while those in red are not valid, the statement further reads.
According to the PS while there are over 1,000 private recruitment agencies in the country, the number has reduced to 500 thanks to the stringent vetting process.
He added that they have operationalised a labour migration desk at JKIA to ensure all Kenyan migrant workers have complied with necessary pre-departure procedures.
“The desk will help in curbing irregular migration, unethical recruitment, and human trafficking to ensure the realisation of safe, orderly, regular labour migration for all Kenyans,” he noted.
Source: theStars .co.ke
Original writer: [email protected] (FELIX KIPKEMOI)