“Our independence day provides not only an opportunity to celebrate our successes but also a chance to look to the future” –President Silanyo
By: Latifa Yusuf Masai
BADHAN (Somalilandsun) – Residents of Badan sub region in the east of the country are in earnest preparations for Independence Day anniversary celebrations.
A press statement released by the Badan regional governor Mr Abdihakin Wahaabi an eight member 18th May preparation committee with him, governor, as chair has almost completely all necessary preparations.
While the country shall be celebrating its 22nd anniversary of re-independence residents of Badan shall be commemorating their first as a region.
The area was original a district in the sprawling Sanaag region where it was hived off from recently thus its first independence day commemorations as a stand-alone region.
According to Governor Wahaabi the celebrations shall be held in the various districts under the region where district heads and mayors shall be in-charge while the main event shall be in Badan town, the regional headquarters.
Said he, “while we are not in competition with other regions it our believe that commemorations in Badan shall be the best in style and preparations”
While thanking the local Independence Day committee for their good work Governor Wahaabi also praised the national committee set up by president Silanyo for the help and support afforded their Badan counterparts.
A list availed by Reporter Mohamed Youssef Bakayle Members of the Badan region 18th May committee chaired by Governor Wahaabi are:
1. Dr Mohamed Farah
–Deputy Regional Governor
2. Abdishakur Boodle – Regional Executive officer
3. Ms Fozia Hussein Mire-Regional Coordinator ministry of Education
4. Muhdin Saeed Duale – Regional Coordinator ministry of Water, Energy & Minerals
5. Mohamed Abdilahi Farah- Regional Coordinator ministry of youth and sports
6. Ms Sha’ani Dable – Regional Coordinator ministry of Labour & Social Services
7. Omar Abdilahi Hussein -Regional Coordinator Ministry of Planning & Coordination
8. And Badan deputy Mayor Awshe Mahmud Jama
Meanwhile other regions in the country have reported similar successful completion of arrangements for the 22nd Independence anniversary celebrations that shall be the biggest so far.
Apart from the arrangements within Somaliland the government has dispatched senior officials to various capitals of the world to bolster celebrations by Diaspora Somalilanders.
While president Silanyo shall officiate the main events in Hargeisa the vice president Abdirahman Sayli shall be in London where he will be chief guest on the 18th may.
The final works towards the country’s 22nd anniversary of re-independence worldwide commemorations were put to motion by the head of state H.E Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo in a Statement that read:
Quote- In anticipation of Somaliland’s Independence Day, the President of Somaliland invites Somaliland communities around the world to come together On Saturday the 18th of May 2013, in celebrations marking the 22nd anniversary since declaring independence” unquote
For Somalilanders this day presents a wonderful opportunity to come together as a people in celebration of an historic National occasion that ensued in 1991 after a bloody and costly fight against the selective tyranny and massacres perpetrated by the then Somalia government of Dictator Siad Barre against citizens of Somaliland origin.
