“My work as the editor of the Somali language website Somaliland.org is on voluntary basis” Reporter Omar
By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The ministry of information has initiated a scheme to motivate staff.
The deputy editor of the government owned Wargeyska Dawan Mr. Omar Mohamed Farah has been awarded a certificate honoring diligence to duty and strict observation of ethics of his trade.
The award ceremony officiated by the minister of information Hon Abdirahman Yusuf Duale and his Director General Mr. Abdirashid Jibril Yusuf at the ministry’s headquarters in Hargeisa also saw 9 other journalist from other government owned media outlets like Somaliland national TV-SLNTV, Somaliland news agency-SOLNA and Radio Hargeisa honoured.
Reporter Omar Mohamed, 32, who also doubles as the editor of the Somali language website Somaliland.org has been a journalist with the Dawan media group for 9 years, having joined the then Mandeeq media group in 2003.
During the awards presentation ceremony that saw the directors of Dawan Media Group, SLNTV, SOLNA and Radio Hargeisa in attendance, DG Abdirashid Jibril Yusuf informed that the awards are part of the ministry’s strategies geared towards staff motivation, Said he, “Regular recognition of exemplary performance is a sure way enhancing output”
The DG, who said that the awardees were selected on merit from the entire ministry’s departments as well as staffers based in the regions, further revealed that the awards will become a regular feature to be undertaken every six months.
“To achieve the objectives of enhancing performance, those whose performance is under par will also be discreetly honoured for poor performance as a prelude to ensuring that they pull up their socks”
The youthful DG who assumed duties 2 months ago informed that while exemplary performance will be honoured publicly, the dishonoring of those under par will be done discreetly”
According to the various officers who were charged with the onerous task of selecting the first batch of ten employees to be honoured, the selection of Reporter Omar Mohamed Farah was unanimous.
Before joining the media house Reporter Omar Mohamed worked as clerk at the Ministry of Defiance’s department of Welfare where he was in-charge of rations for army disabled and orphans as well as pursuing journalism studies.
“Although I enjoyed working with the disabled and orphan, I always wanted to be a journalist thus my evening studies at a local institute in Hargeisa.
Reporter Omar who has become a source of news for many newspapers and websites that are known to copy and paste his posts credits his on the job training and motivation to the editor of The Horn Tribune Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Egge. The horn tribune is a weekly English newspaper also published the state owned Dawan Media Group.
“Most of the journalism skills I possess especially ethics are Thanks to Mr. Mohamed A Egge, who has over the years instilled in me the importance of impartiality and ethical reporting” Said Omar
According to THT Editor Mohamed A Egge, immediately on joining the then Mandeeq Media Group, reporter Omar Mohamed though a novice displayed a touch for journalism far above his peers some of them veterans of decades.
“For a long time I used to peruse articles by reporter Omar before he submitted them to his editor” Said a jubilant Editor Egge who divulged that the recognition of Omar Mohamed as the most diligent reporter in Somaliland is long overdue.
An elated director of Dawan Media Group Mr. Mohamed Saeed Mire said that the award to reporter Omar Mohamed Farah was yet another example of newspaper group’s excellence notwithstanding being government owned, said he, “though we are state owned we lead while others follow due to our concerted commitments to public service.
The director who is popular known as Sayid was not shy of boasting in the essence that the DMG is the only print media to have women reporters as well as a nationwide distribution network.
Readers of Our Somali, English and Arabic language papers are availed quality information, entertainment and educational materials that are based on facts and not sensational headlines.
Mr. Sayid who gained prominence during the run-up to the 2010 presidential elections as the director of the Kulmiye party Radio Horiyal that operated clandestinely says his greatest ambition is to avail the DMG a coloured printer.
The Horiyal Radio which was a thorn in the flesh of the then ruling UDUB party is credited with having secured the current ruling Kulmiye party and president Silanyo a large followings and subsequent votes that saw the incumbent president defeat his predecessor Dahir Rayale with a massive margin resulting in a honourable transfer of power hitherto unseen in Africa.
Others honoured with the DMG reporter and Somaliland.org editor include
1. Yusuf Mohamed Ismail –Solna
2. Abdisalam Hariri Sh. Osman-SLNTV-Berbera
3. Yusuf Ibrahim Warsame Ilka’ase-SLNTV-Burao
4. Abdiqadir Abdilahi Nuur-SLNTV
5. Abdirasak Osman-SLNTV
6. Khadar Hasan Ali Gaas-SLNTV UK representative
7. Ahmed Jama Aar –SLNTV
8. Zachariah Ahmed Muhumed -Radio Hargeisa
9. Zamzam Jama Muhumed-Radio Hargeisa
