Poland to partner FG in empowering 500 Nigerians
By Bridget Ikyado
Abuja, March 28, 2023
EuroAfrica, an academic Nigeria-Poland company on Tuesday assured of the organisation’s plan to empower 500 Nigerians to work at “Ditola Spolka” a Poland-based company.
The Founder of EuroAfrica, Olakunle Alayande, said this when he led Michał Serocyński, CEO of Ditola Group of Company and his team on a working visit to Amb. Akinremi Bolaji, Director, Economic Trade and investment, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Abuja.
According to him, the company partnered private universities in Nigeria and had taken Nigerians to Poland in the past 15 years.
Alayande said, “An opportunity came up with Ditola Group of Companies in Poland that they would like to recruit Africans, particularly Nigerians and they found me as the best person they could partner to engage Nigeria.
“The possibility of empowering youths here in Nigeria and take them to Poland to work in different areas like factories, warehouses has been going on for a while.
“There are some Nigerians already working with the company in Poland; this exercise started in January; I had opportunity to meet the company’s management in Poland, being convinced with what the company can do and the capacity of what they can recruit here in Nigeria.
“I felt like it is worth doing and we decided to come together and follow due process, on how we can go about it with all the agencies in Nigeria and formalize it with the government.”
The CEO described EuroAfrica Services as a means for bring foreign expatriates from Poland to Nigeria, to develop bilateral agreement between the two countries.
“EuroAfrica will be outsourcing for reputable companies in Poland here in Nigeria; it is important to go through agencies registered here in Nigeria like the Ministry of Labour and the Nigerian Police.
“Currently, the company is looking at employing 500 Nigerians as the first take, after on the company will like to take up to 2000 Nigerians to Poland,” Alayande added.
Also speaking, Segun Ige, International Representative of Ditola Group, said although the company recruited Nigerians in the past, it would do more to deepen ties between both countries.
“We started by recruiting Nigerians in Poland, just to engage meaningfully with Nigerians, but the CEO of the company said it is not enough, therefore, reason we have to go to the source.
“This issue of recruitment sometimes is misinterpreted by people to be human trafficking or maybe modern day slavery, but we are trying to prove this wrong because we care about the welfare of the workers.
“Ditola trains their workers on arrival before they go to do their job and after training, they are given the opportunity to work for a period of time, after which they can go to school for further studies if they want.” he said.
Responding, Amb, Bolaji said Nigeria had local recruitment agencies registered in the country that should have all the necessary certificates.
According to him, the country has international recruitment agencies, whereby job seekers submit their forwarding address to work with.
“Those that you will be recruiting, the Ministry of Labour will be involved in the recruitment exercise.
“The good thing is that the policy has taken off, unlike when there was suspension for over two years, because there was no framework, now there is a framework, business can resume.
“At this very time, it is a bit challenging for us, because when we talk about modern day slavery, organ harvesting, harassment and very hard circumstances, which people might be put through.
“So, all of these are things of concern to us and that is why we will want to make sure you follow due process; we need to involve our embassy in Poland, it will take time, and it is good you have taken a nice step,” Bolaji said.
Also speaking, Phoebe Kumi, Assistant-Director, Ministry of Labour, commended the partnership, saying the ministry looked forward to provide labour to foreign countries and ensure Nigeria citizens get legitimate jobs.
“The Ministry of Labour has the mandate to promote regular labour migration and this is one of the ways to go; the ministry register private employers, both local and international.
“We have a process and you have to be licensed by the ministry, before you can recruit Nigerians”, she said.
