Reps Committee accuses Labour Ministry of aiding human trafficking

The House of Reps Committee on Diaspora has accused the Federal Ministry of Labour of aiding human trafficking.

The Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe (APC-Oyo) made this known at a public hearing on Thursday in Abuja.

She said that the ministry had also continued to frustrate the frantic effort of the National Assembly to combat the crime.

“The house committee on diaspora in a bid to find a workable solution in tackling the menace of trafficking and the dehumanising condition of Nigerians abroad by some local and international syndicates have been having a series of interagency meetings with stakeholders.

”But regrettably the Ministry of Labour that is at the centre of the whole controversy has intentionally refused to honour the committee invitation for five consecutive meetings.

“We have invited five time times today being the 5th and he was again represented by a Permanent Secretary who claims he is new; and does not understand the workings and what transpired prior to his engagement.

“This is in spite of having signed a recruiters licence earlier this year; where there was a moratorium placed on such licenses since 2017.

“It appears that there is clear incompetence or complicity within the ministry; that has led this compromise trafficking and abuse of Nigeria citizen,” she said.

The Reps chairman said that investigation showed that licences were issued after the moratorium that allowed agents traffic our girls.

She said agents were allowed to take Nigerians to Lebanon a country that doesn’t have a labour pact with Nigeria.

According to her, licenses were also issued to companies who have not complied with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) requirements.

The Reps said that girls were allowed to be taken out by agents without the mandatory counselling and orientation.

“The Ministry of Labour has refused to submit the documentation requested; where documentation was provided by the labour the investigation revealed that there were inconsistencies in the report from labour; in comparison with FIRS, CAC NAPTIP, Ministry of Justice and National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

“Even where labour made a report submission; their submission was in conflict with the documentation backing it up also submitted by them,” she said.

Akande-Sadipe expressed sadness that Nigeria had to witness such a great disregard for the life of a Nigerian citizen by encouraging their trafficking.

The chairman promised that the parliament will take the matter up at plenary.