The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has cautioned locals in Acholi Sub region against extortion as they seek employment abroad.
Over 1,000 people, majority of them children were trafficked in 2024, according to statistics from the ministry.
Milton Turyasiima, the Assistant Commissioner for employment services at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development says people seeking employment abroad especially the Middle East should always use licensed recruitment agencies and not individuals in order to avoid extortion.
Turyasiima who was speaking during a media engagement at Bomah Hotel in Gulu City recently says the Ministry has currently licensed 274 recruitment agencies to recruit people for jobs in the Middle East.
He adds that only Saudi Arabia currently has a bilateral agreement with Uganda to recruit maids.
Turyasiima says that under the arrangement, people recruited as maids do not pay for air tickets because it is already catered for by Saudi Arabia.
He says that over 300,000 people have sought jobs in the Middle East since 2016 due to the high unemployment rate in the country.
By Justine Muboka
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