Government Assures Seafarers of their Security at Work
Labour and Skills Development principal secretary Shadrack Mwadime (Photo by Robby Ngoba)
By Robby Ngoba
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
Labour and Skills Development principal secretary Shadrack Mwadime has assured seafarers and other working Kenyans abroad of government commitment to end mistreatment of them.
The government, according to him, has been working closely with recruitment agencies and other entities to ensure safety of people working in diaspora.
Speaking during the official inauguration of the Seafarers Wages Council at Sliver Palm Hotel in Kilifi, the PS said the government has made significant progress through signing of various human rights based bilateral agreements.
“The government has been having consultation with different countries to make sure the mistreatment we used to hear are things of the past.
For example, Saudi Arabia, we have given them a draft bilateral agreement that is human right based and very soon we will seal a memorandum of understanding (MOU) because we have already shared with them.”
The secretary said the government has also establish a toll-free number under the National Employment Authority that works for 24/7 to help Kenyan works in distress.
“For first course of action is to call the number and we will be able to link that call with a labor officer attached to that embassy for immediate assistant.”
He also urged youths seeking green pastures abroad to visit their embassies so as to enhanced their safety.
“Before landing to your job abroad, you need to pass through your embassy. We have our labor attaches who will help you know the geographical area where you will be working and even the employer.”
Seafarers Wages Council chairperson Mwinyi Jahazi said the formation of the council would unlock the unfair wages and grueling working condition Kenyan seafarers and other people faced abroad.
He said the initiative is aligned with the Kenyan’s vision 2030 and the bottom-up economic transformation agenda.
“The Kenya Kwanza government is committed in tackling pressing issues as wage disparities and mental health challenges in the labor sector,” Mwinyi said.
General secretary, Seafarers Workers Union Atie Ramadhan on her part she urged the government to regularly scrutinized recruitment agencies adding that some of them do not want to work with unions. She said their recruitment exercise are very secretive.
“Most of these workers we have had being mistreated abroad are caused by these agencies which carry their recruitment exercise secretly because we don’t have any data of them.”
