By: Kemo Kanyi
The Gambia government, through its recruitment agencies under the Gambia/Saudi labour agreement, the first batch of domestic workers to Saudi Arabia will leave on Tuesday,18 February 2025.
The 25 young women signed and consented to the terms and conditions of the agreement.
Fifty young women were gathered at the Baobab Hotel on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, for three-day orientation training that is geared towards equipping them with ethical principles as detailed in the agreement and the conduct desired by both the employees and the employers. The contract period of this agreement is two years.
Mr. Modou Camara, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Outsource Recruitment Agency’, one of the agencies facilitating the recruitment of labourers from the country, assured the safety of the recruited workers, stating that his agency is working in collaboration with some other recruitment agencies in Saudi Arabia which are all registered with the Saudi government for transparency and security reasons to protect the domestic workers.
“My agency is sending 13 individuals, and GAMJOBS is sending 12 individuals for this first batch. The rest of the recruited labourers will also be leaving, perhaps before the end of the month. The employers in Saudi are obliged to open a bank account for the employee and also provide a contact number for their employees for easy access to communication with family, recruitment agency, or the Gambia embassy in Saudi. The employees under this agreement will also be given medical insurance for issues of health,” Mr. Camara explained in an interview on the sideline with journalists on Tuesday.
Fabba Jammeh, director of employment at the Ministry of Trade, Regional Integration, and Employment, urged recruited domestic labourers to raise the Gambia’s flag high by conducting themselves well and to serve as “brand ambassadors” of the country in this agreement, adding that the government of The Gambia is prepared to handle any emergencies their citizens may face in this regard.
“The government already established a technical committee that includes the Department of Labour, National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP), Gambia Immigration Department (GID), Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, private recruitment agencies and other relevant stakeholders. This is to ensure that there is safety throughout your contract period,” Mr. Jammeh assured the recruited young women.