The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority has directed the Ministry of Labour and Employment to provide details concerning the misuse of the Migrant Worker’s Welfare Fund (MWWF).

The anti-graft body has asked the ministry to enlist names and other details of officials involved in such irregularities within seven days.

“The commission has written to the Ministry of Labour and Employment to implement the direction/recommendation of the commission given on June 27, 2012 that clearly directs the Ministry to take appropriate steps to properly utilize the welfare fund and fine the officials involved in misuse of the welfare fund,” reads a statement issued on Wednesday.

The commission has asked the list of officials involved in misusing the welfare fund on foreign trips, purchase and renovation of vehicles and so on.

Foreign Employment Promotion Board (FEPB), the government body responsible for the fund management, had allocated Rs 10 million to buy cars for ambassadors in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and South Korea and around Rs 20 million for foreign trips, training and allowances for officials at Labour Ministry, Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) and association of recruiting agencies.

Some members of the Parliamentary Committee on International Relation and Labour as well as Labour Ministry officials are scheduled to go to Malaysia on March 15. The Ministry is paying them allowance through the MWWF fund.

The FEPB had also providing funds for a recent Japan visit of State Minister for Labour Tek Bahadur Gurung and Malaysia visit of officials from Labour Ministry, FEPB and DoFE. The Board had also paid the allowances through the fund.

Every out-bound migrant worker deposit Rs 1,000 to the fund that, according to the Foreign Employment Act 2064, shall be used for “training of migrant workers, providing education and health services to their children, paying compensation to the injured and deceased migrant workers and evacuating them during crises.”

Published on: 12 March 2015 | The Kathmandu Post