Somaliland: Four Parastatal Lose Operational Independence

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By: Yusuf M Hasan

HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The Diaspora Agency, Somaliland National TV, National Massacre Committee and the WFP Food Coordination Office have lost their operational independence thence departments under relevant ministries.

According to a pre-France departure decree by the Somaliland president Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo the Diaspora agency, SLNTV, Massacre Committee and Food Coordination are now departments in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Information, Justice and Rehabilitation respectively.

The turn of events for these government agencies came after parliament’s house of representative refused them budget allocations within the now approved 2014 national budget because the four which are a creation of the current government are operating without an Act of parliament thence nonexistent in the eyes of the legislative assembly.

To finally legalize these parastatal now departments in ministries the government has to approach parliament within a period of 90 days or else they will complete be scrapped from the register books of the country.

So far the only parastatal mentioned by the president as the immediate candidate for approval by an Act of parliament is the Bureau of Standards the fledgling agency that is very crucial towards protection of consumers against now rampant profusion of expired imported goods of all types be it foods, medicines and machinery among many.

As for the four now departments a sigh of relief from employees was their fare the well gift to the head of state as he headed to France where he is expected to parley with government officials in Paris and conclude a major Berbera port development deal.

Some of the four agencies used to have their top honchos roughshod over each and sundry without regard to any antiquities since their appointments were residential and with nobody to report to, thence not only victimization of employees but massive misuse of funds owing to them being high income earners.

After all is said and done it is imperative that president Silanyo eye other so called independent government agencies that operate under the CARTE BLANCHE (free rein )authority of their bosses who are known to fire skilled personnel for replacement with unskilled in’adeers etc.

Hopefully too the new departments hitherto under zero supervision thence unbridled will accept their fate and blend with the new structures if for nothing else the easing of attaining ultimate realization of initial objectives at establishment .