800 youths acquire jobs in labour export deal

At least 800 youths have gone to work abroad in a labour export deal, government has said.

Minister of Sports and Youth Development Enoch Chihana disclosed this in an interview on Sunday.

Government last year announced the labour export deals with countries such as South Korea, Qatar and Dubai with the aim of reducing unemployment in the country.

Said Chihana when asked on the progress of the deal which many youths applied for.

“Some youths, about 800 have already gone to work abroad and mostly in Dubai. We are expecting to send more when opportunities arise,” said Chihana.

The minister said most of them are going to work as drivers, hotel workers and labourers.

Initially, government targeted 2 000 jobs, but Chihana said everything depended on demand.

“It depends upon the demand from that side. If they want people, they make us aware and we advertise for the posts. But yes, the target is 2 000 jobs,” said Chihana.

When President Joyce Banda’s government announced that it had struck a deal to send youths to work abroad, members of Parliament took government to task, demanding transparency over the labour deal.

Civil society organisations (CSOs) also criticised government, saying instead of exporting labour, she should find ways of creating employment.