The State of Qatar in the Middle East has expressed its willingness to have more Nigerian component in its labour force.
Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Qatar in Nigeria, Ahmad AL-Horr stated this in Abuja while on an official visit to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.
In a statement by the Ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Olajide Oshundun, the diplomat told the Minister that the Government of Qatar needs collaboration with his Ministry because the number of Nigerian workers in the country is limited.
The Envoy assured that his country cares about workers protection for engineers, doctors and indeed all other professions, noting that it is processing the Bilateral Agreement between the Government of Nigeria and the Government of Qatar on the Regulation of Employment of Nigerian migrant workers in the State of Qatar.
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He informed the Minister that Qatar is ready to host the FIFA World Cup, which is the biggest football tournament in the world, starting from November 20 to December 18. He said the finals of the tournament will be played on the national day of Qatar and he looks forward to welcoming Chrsi Ngige at the World Cup.
Responding, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige said his Ministry was looking forward towards formalising the bilateral agreement between Nigeria and Qatar on labour migration.
Ngige blamed the alarming rate of unemployment in Africa, especially Nigeria, on the youth bulge of people between the ages of 17 and 35, who constitute 60% of the population, which he said is very alarming.
He said Nigeria is very interested in the agreement and is working assiduously towards ensuring that it is one of the agreements President Muhammadu Buhari will sign during his planned state visit to Qatar.
He added that since Nigerians are needed to work in Qatar, he appealed to the envoy to find a way of formalising the stay of Nigerians who are living and working “illegally.”
He expressed hope that Nigerians would work well in Qatar as both countries are oil and gas producing, adding that a lot of Nigerians trained in oil and gas would be assets to Qatar if allowed to work in the country.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
