Controversial job posting rattles Sudan’s labor ministry

March 24, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – An uproar triggered by a job advertisement posted this week in a local newspaper to recruit Sudanese women to work in Kuwait, opened the door to allegations of massive fraud and corruption in a government body.

The minister of human resource development and labor, Ishraqa Sayed Mahmoud, has accused four members in her ministry’s workers’ union of standing behind the job posting to pressure her into backing down from her decision to strictly prohibit collecting fees without the issuance of an official receipt known as (Form-15).

The ad, which was published by the ministry and appeared in the widely distributed pro-government al-Intibaha newspaper, said it seeks “good looking” and “fair skinned” women between the ages of 21-35 to work as receptionists in the Arab Gulf state of Kuwait.

Applicant respondents were required to send three coloured full-body-length photographs showing themselves from different angles, as well as furnishing information about their height, weight, health history and past surgeries.

The ministry came under fire from media, preachers and prominent figures for allowing a “racist” ad which implied solicitation for sex workers. Some columnists even called for the resignation of the minister.

Al-Intibaha newspaper has since published an apology and the recruiting agency was suspended.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Mahmoud said that a statement released by the workers’ union accusing her of approving the advertisement is strong evidence of the union’s role in the posting.

“I won’t back down [from requiring Form-15]. This makes me more resolute and determined”, she said, adding she would continue the war against interest groups affected by her decision.

Underscoring her commitment, Mahmoud said that she would stand by her decision and fight for peoples’ rights even if it leads to “my departure from the ministry”.

Mahmoud disclosed that an internal investigation revealed that the ministry’s former chief financial and administrative officer was involved in a massive corruption scandal.

According to her, the senior official committed 14 financial and administrative violations, the least of which was receiving a monthly incentive of 26,000 Sudanese pounds (SDG).

She pointed out that these violations were referred to both the attorney-general and inspector-general for further investigation.

The minister went on to accuse some members of the workers’ union of illegally owning recruitment offices which she claimed raised suspicions that the ministry is charging large sums of money to issue bogus employment contracts.

She qualified her statements, however, saying that not all union members are corrupt.

“The corrupt members are only four”, Mahmoud said.

The minister disclosed that 300,000 SDG is collected monthly inside the ministry illegally without the Form-15 receipt, but noted that this money does not go to staff members.

(ST)