Nairobi — Twenty recruitment agencies have been de-registered as the state moves to curb the proliferation of agencies that facilitate job seekers seeking to travel abroad.
The National Employment Authority (NEA) revealed the details before the National Assembly Committee on Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers, even as they decried that their efforts to streamline the sector were being curtailed by government offices.
NEA Director-General Edith Okoki said that efforts to impede undertakings of rogue operations of recruitment agencies is a conflicted issue following interference by influential offices.
"It was difficult to regulate some of these recruitment agencies because some of the owners had high connection in high offices," she told MPs.
The House Team led by Taita Taveta Woman Representative Lydia Haika was told that the rogue companies have been engaging in hoodwinking Kenyans by collecting monies from youth to offer them business opportunities abroad.
NEA Director-General disclosed that the dubious companies who have been deregistered have been seeking fresh registration using different names to steal from unsuspecting Kenyans.
"The last two years have not been easy. Some of the people that we were having issues with had access to high offices...others, once deregistered would attempt to come back with different names" stated Okoki.
Firms that have been deregistered include Gulfway Recruitment company Ltd, Royal Capital Placement Ltd, Geoverah Africa Safaris Ltd, First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Ltd, Geoverah Agency Ltd.
Also on the list is Daawo Holdings Ltd, Makungu International Ltd, Talent Gateaway Ltd, Jakartya Ventures Ltd,Skill Dove Ltd,Gifted Minds Tours Travel Ltd, Tangofox Ltd andAlemtyaz Travel Agent Ltd.
Rhodevo International Ltd, Flexturch Recruitment Ltd , Omran Aly Agencies Ltd, Alsari International Ltd, Leisamis Recruiters Ltd and Skyward Global Dimensions Ltd have also been listed.
First Choice Recruitment Company based in Uasin Gishu county was highlighted as one of the companies that attempted to get back in the diaspora recruitment sector by seeking fresh registration under Royal Capital Placement company.
"Uasin Gishu county has a lot of problems at the moment because the agencies are saying they are taking people out of the country for education.When we closed First choice,the owners tried to open a company under Royal Capital Placement company but we denied them the certificate,"Okoki avvered.
Extensive investigations by the office of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations facilitated the crackdown on the non-compliant agencies however streamlining information to the public on deregistered companies has been an arduous task.
"Its very expensive exercise to disseminate information but we try to use what we have to create awareness among the public.We will engage the public more on the matter,"the NEA Director General said.
The committee chairperson sought to know the specific reasons as to why the twenty companies were de-registered.
"Can you elaborate on these twenty agencies that you say were deregistered. Why exactly were they revoked?" posed Haika.
NEA Director General insisted that they conduct scrutiny on the non-compliant recruitment agencies through investigative details shared by the National Intelligence Service.
"For some of the agencies, we get direct instructions from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to deregister their certificates of operations."Okika said.
The Authority also brought to the fore issues raised Mombasa residents against one Fatma Ramadhan, the Director General of Alhadhramy and Mahla Agencies,
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Ramadhan was accused of taking monies from the youth with the promise of offering job opportunities in Qatar.
"The National Employment Authority took up the matter for further investigations and incoporated the Kenya Association of Private Employment Agencies (KAPEA) Coast Disciplinary Committee,"Okoki said.
Investigations carried out revealed that fifty one (51) youths did not travel for work in Qatar as promised by the agency," she added.
Details revealed before the committee was a response query by committee Vice Chair Simon Kingara who had also casted doubt on the Authorities' competence following numerous cases of youths being hoodwinked by dubious recruitment companies.
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