Employers’ Consultative Association of Malawi (ECAM) has disassociate itself from the recruitment agencies and individuals who persuade people to pay money by promising to find them job outside the country.

This follows a warning by the Ministry of Labour, through a press statement, which has expressed concern with the proliferation of labour export recruiters, in the form of recruitment t agencies as well as individuals, who are collecting money from job seekers and promise to find them jobs outside the country without following the laid down procedures.

According to the Ministry of Labour, such agencies are exposing job seekers to human traffickers, labour exploitation and abuse.

Commenting on the development, ECAM Executive Director, George Khaki, said their organisation has no members who are involved in the exportation of labour.

“At the moment we have no any member whether an organisation or individual that export labour,” he said.

Khaki further said labour exportation is regulated under the relevant conventions of the international labour organisation.

He has therefore pleaded with all those involved with exportation of labour to follow the laid down procedures and when conducting recruitment processes.

According to the Ministry of Labour, such agencies charge a fee to job seekers and bypass the ministry and other relevant government institutions involved in regulating labour export, thereby exposing job seekers to human traffickers, labour exploitation and abuse.

The ministry has therefore reminded those involved in the malpractice that their actions or omissions amount to a criminal offence under the trafficking in persons Act of 2015 and other laws.