By Michael Oche
In a bid to promote fair recruitment, ensure safe migration as well as reduce vulnerability of migrant workers to abusive recruitment, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is set to launch Migrant Recruitment Advisor (MRA) Activities in Nigeria.
The MRA is a global recruitment and employment review platform, offering migrant workers easy access to information about recruitment agencies and workers’ rights when seeking employment abroad.
The MRA was launched by ITUC in 2018 covering migrant sending countries, which includes Philippines, Indonesia, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh.
However, the Africa Regional Organization of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) developed the idea of having the MRA for Nigeria, Uganda and Ethiopia, with the support of ITUC global.
Preparatory for the launch, the ITUC on Tuesday 11 October 2022 commenced a two day capacity building for Focal Persons on Labour Migration in the various affiliate Unions of the NLC.
Speaking during the two-day training which held virtually, participants agreed that the advisory is coming at a time Nigeria is experiencing an upsurge in workers migrating.
Ira Rachmawati, the ITUC project Coordinator Human and Labour Rights in charge of migration, in her opening remarks emphasized the need for the trade unions to use the MRA as a platform to promote fair recruitment and protect the human and Labour rights of migrant workers.
She explained that it was important that employers ensure that migrants are not exploited through unfair and unethical recruitment practices.
According to her, destination countries so far covered by the MRA includes Hong Kong, South Korea, Bahrain, Malaysia, Taiwan, Oman.
Others are Qatar, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia,
Singapore, Jordan, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, Nigerians can take advantage of.
Also speaking, Comrade James Eustace the NLC Focal Person on Migration, said the Congress has made significant progress in its efforts to protect the rights of migrant workers.
He disclosed that NLC has produced a trade union information guide and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has developed a Pre-Departure Orientation Manual with support of the ILO under the FairWay Migration Programme.
He expressed the readiness of the NLC to deploy the MRA as a tool for pre-departure training for migrant workers.
