“Probe Ministry of Labour for illegally issuing International Recruiters’ Licenses”- Akande-Sadipe tells FG

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe K. has called on the Federal Government to urgently put a stop to the exploitation of Nigerians abroad.

She pointed out that Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, under the supervision of Dr. Chris Ngige has violated the law and has continued to issue International Recruiters Licenses to Agents, despite Federal Government’s 2017 moratorium. 

Hon. Akande Sadipe said this on Monday while responding to questions from journalists, lamenting that Nigeria has no Bilateral Labour Agreement with any nation and the execution of the Standing Operating Procedure (SOP) has been lingering. 

She said, “Federal Government placed a moratorium on issuance of International Recruiters License in September 2017 and yet the Ministry of Labour and Productivity as at January 2020 was still issuing international recruiters licenses”. 

She added that many Nations in the Middle East and even within Africa were violating the rights of our citizens under the guise of domestic servitude. 

The Oluyole Federal Constituency Representative, said Eighty thousand Nigerian girls are currently held as sex slaves, and forced labour in Mali, across Middle East Nations:- with Lebanon, Saudi Arabia  UAE and Oman top on the list. 

“The question we must ask is How they got there? we have called out Immigration but then again Ministry of Labour is also complicit”, she said.

She pointed out that, “These agents collect $1000 plus the first 3 to 6 months salaries of the girls and abandon them to their plight in the foreign nations. The trafficked girls unfortunately are ignorant of the ills they may face abroad and are lured by the agents, because they seek a better life”. 

Akande-Sadipe also revealed that these agents lie to the ladies about the jobs waiting for them in foreign lands, urging Nigerians to move away from the perception that the girls left this shores to prostitute. 

She however decried the Minister of Labour and Employment’s refusal to appear before the Committee after four invitations, adding that the Ministry also refused to submit the requested information.

She added that information submitted earlier by the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, was inconsistent compared to the relevant records of other Federal Government Agencies, such as Corporate Affairs Commission, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund and Federal Inland Revenue Service.

“In addition the Ministry has not been complying with laid down policies and procedures for international recruitment. For example, Agents pre-licensing procedures contravened the requirements of doing business with Federal government MDA’s”, she added.

“The Ministry did not conduct the mandatory pre-departure counselling; had no records of the annual reporting requirements mandated to Agents, which should provide information on the whereabouts of each Nigerian recruited, compensation and contact details”, she disclosed. 

Hon. Akande-Sadipe further stated that the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. William Alo and two of his lieutenants lied under oath to the Diaspora Committee.

“It is disheartening that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Permanent Secretary and those who came with him gave the Committee false information”, she said.

This issue of human trafficking has reached pandemic levels and the appeals for help circulating across social media is an embarrassment to our Nation. 

She therefore appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to initiate an Executive investigation into the activities of Labour and Productivity.

She also urged Mr. President to empower National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, adding that this would enable them achieve their mandate to apprehend and prosecute these Agents and to review the activities and funding of Foreign Missions to enable them meet their responsibilities to Nigerians across the world. 

Makinde Sacks Works Commissioner, Swaps Two Others

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has relieved the Commissioner for Works, Infrastructure and Transport, Professor Raphael Afonja of his appointment.

The governor, in a letter dated August 10, 2020 and signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun, said the termination takes immediate effect.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the letter titled “Termination of appointment” as saying: “I wish to convey the approval of His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, on the termination of your appointment as Honourable Commissioner, with immediate effect.

“Consequent upon the above development, you are hereby directed to hand over all the government items in your possession to the Permanent Secretary (Ministry of Works, Infrastructure and Transport).

“I am to add that, your contribution within the time of your sojourn is appreciated and commendable, and therefore, wish you successes in your future endeavours. I thank you."

In another development, the governor has also approved the redeployment of two Commissioners, who were asked to swap portfolios.

An internal memo signed by the SSG with the subject: "Redeployment of EXCO members" indicated that the Commissioner for Special Duties, Chief Bayo Lawal, has been moved to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, while his counterpart who was manning that Ministry, Hon. Funmilayo Orisadeyi, is to move to the Ministry of Special Duties.

The memo indicated that the redeployment takes immediate effect.

COVID-19: Oyo Has Recorded Zero Fatality Across Isolation Centres Since Inception- Task Force

The Oyo State Task Force on COVID-19, said on Monday, that Isolation Centres run by the state has recorded zero fatality since the outbreak of  COVID-19 in the state, in March 2020.

This feat, the Task Force noted, is due to the holistic approach adopted by medical personnel managing the COVID-19 situation.

The Task Force added that medical personnel at the state's isolation centres regularly embark on comprehensive assessment of patients, proper management of any underlying ailment and a robust nutrition and exercise regimen.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, who doubles as one of the Risk Communication Coordinators of the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that though 31 deaths have been recorded in the state since the index case of the virus was discovered in March, none of the fatalities took place in the isolation centres set up by the state government.

The statement added that all of the 31 COVID-19 deaths recorded in the state have been due to comorbidities or underlying ailments in the  deceased.

All of the fatalities occurred at some private and other medical facilities outside those run by the state government, the statement said.

The statement also quoted the State's Incident Manager and coordinator of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), Dr. Taiwo Ladipo, and the Coordinator, Oyo State Isolation Centres, Professor Temitope Alonge, as confirming the development.

Oyo State's isolation centres  include those at the Infectious Disease Centre, Olodo, Ibadan; Chest Hospital, Agbami, Ibadan; Igbo-Ora in Ibarapa; Saki, in Oke-Ogun; Aawe, near Oyo; and the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.

"Yes, I can confirm to you that Oyo State has not recorded any fatality in any of its isolation centres since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the state. That's a fact and it is a landmark achievement," Dr. Ladipo said.

He said that, though, 31 deaths have so far been recorded among COVID-19 patients in the state, none of the deaths happened at the state's isolation centres.

He also stated that the state has tested 14,356 samples, recording 2,860 positive cases, 1,420 recovered cases and 31 deaths.

Prof. Alonge also confirmed the development, declaring that medical personnel at the centres adopted a holistic approach to COVID-19 management since inception.

While speaking on what he believes could be responsible for the feat, Prof Alonge said: "Well, many things. There is always the God factor. God has been good to us. Then our  treatments actually commence very urgently and we pay attention to every complaint of the patients. "Our health care workers have been very prudent and meticulous, because, most times, when these patients come in and claim they have no symptoms, we take time to clerk them and ask detailed questions. 

"So, we found out that in clerking them, many of them that claim they do not have symptoms actually have. So, we address those symptoms and we have added all manners of care to address their symptoms. 

"The symptoms they think they don't have or they think can be ignored, when they present them to us, we pay attention and deal with them. Of course, if we deal with that along with Coronavirus, we capture virtually all their complaints."

He added: "Again, their nutrition has been very good. They have been on a high protein diet. The environment is conducive. They do exercise.

Twice a week, they do aerobics and dance. Health care workers dance across the barrier and the patients are dancing across the other side of the barrier. There is a very good relationship with them. They are very open and they tell us how they feel, because they know we are concerned about every part of their livelihood. 

"We have gone beyond just saying a patient is positive. We do baseline investigations to check their liver functions, we check their kidney functions. We check their blood for malaria parasites.

We do comprehensive assessment both in clerking and blood tests. So, at the end of the day, some infections in their system that they are not even aware of, which Coronavirus will worsen, are taken care of. We pick them up early and begin to work on them. 

"Sincerely, it has been a wonderful experience. We have had a 2-year-old. We have had a 95-year-old, who recovered. We have a wide range of patients. The average range is 34. We have taken a (child) delivery there (at the Olodo Infectious Disease Centre) before and the baby is COVID-19 free. The mother too has tested negative. 

"As I speak, there are two pregnant women and one nursing mother there. We have every category of patients; millionaires, the poor, bank managers, directors, deputy directors of parastatals, government agencies. So, it is a mixed thing.

"Patients spend an average range of 10 days or, at most, three weeks. Any patient that is spending more than three weeks has other problems that we are coping with."