As petroleum minister defends corrupt oil exploration deals revealed by leaked UN Reports
By: Yusuf M Hasan
MOGADISHU (Somalilandsun) – The president of the Somalia Federal Government-SFG Hasan Sheikh Mahmud is battling for his political life.
The battle ensued on Wednesday when a motion of no confidence signed by almost 100 legislators was tabled at the 275 member’s federal parliament in Mogadishu in which they accuse him, president Hasan, of grand corruption, looting of public funds and property as well disregard for the federal constitution.
Accused of Embezzling funds thus weaken the fight against from none payment of security forces salaries as well as his unconstitutional move to have his tenure extend beyond the 2016 deadline president Hasan Sheikh has been pushed to the wall by the impeachment motion that will determine his political future
Stressing that Allowing the continued maladministration by Hasan and his SFG cahoots is tantamount to the carte blanche approval for enhancement of poverty and insecurity in the fragile country just reviving from years as failed and negation gained against Al-shabaab an islamists group battling the SFG for control, the Legislators want immediate dismissal of Hasan Sheik as president.
Constitutionally the MPs argue that the announcement in Late July 2015 by president Hasan that it was not only impossible to hold “One man one vote ballot but entire elections exercise as planned next year” which is a core action target for the Country’s vision 2016 is a strategic error of magnitude that cannot be left to flourish.
This move by Hasan clearly geared towards creating space for an illegal stay in office receive very sharp disapproval from diverse SFG donors more vehement more so the UN in which succinctly told its protégé that “Term Extension in Somalia beyond 2016 Mandate is Unacceptable’
The legislators in a statement that revealed they have been pursuing the impeachment motion for six months stated “We have come to this decisive decision after broad and sustained deliberations among parliamentarians and various stakeholders relevant in the political process of Somalia.
The statement adds that during the consultative sessions it has come to light that Somalia is bleeding politically, financially, morally and ethically due to the poor leadership of the president, the corrupt practices of his office and that of his cronies, the flagrant contravention of the constitution and abuse of power thus the impeachment anchored by the quoted Seven reasons
The Nefarious Activities of President Hasan and his weak federal government which is propped by the International Community with annual infusion of dollars in their billions as state subsidies and grants has in the recent past come under scrutiny not only locally but from the IC itself.
A recent case is the one surrounding under the table payments to SFG officials by Soma Oil and Gas a British firm that is currently undergoing investigations in the UK by the Serious Fraud Office-SFO as pertains to hundreds of thousands of dollars which went to senior Somali civil servants.
UN report by its Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group (SEMG) reveals that payments by Soma Oil & Gas amount in some cases to “acts that undermine Somali public institutions through corruption”
According to Open Oil, the world’s largest public online database of oil contracts, the Product Sharing Agreement-PSA between the Somalia Federal Government-SFG and Soma oil & Gas holdings Ltd is unprecedented on its kind anywhere in the world, the petroleum minister thinks otherwise.
While the SFG -Soma oil -PSA for exploration in Somalia grants the British firm 90% of all accrued profits, a negative fact exacerbated by the alleged under the table payments the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources thinks otherwise
The minister who roughshod’ the fiasco Mohamed Mukhtar Ibrahim justified the nearly quarter million dollars payment by Soma Oil to petroleum ministry personnel in Mogadishu as part of the agreed capacity Building Contract and not payoffs for favours as alleged by the UNs SEMG.
A statement released by petroleum and minerals resource denying the SEMG report, read in part “Somalia is a nation recovering from a prolonged conflict, we are proud that our institutions are improving and progressing. Good governance, transparency and accountability are of greater essence to Somalia in the proper management of its resources. Transparency in public service pay and procurements are a national priority and monitored through our internal and international mechanism such as the Financial Governance Committee (FGC).
“Like other post-conflict countries, capacity building support is crucial to the development of Somalia’s institutions and human resource development. The Government of Somalia will continue to solicit the support of donors and investors.” The SEMG’s characterization on this capacity building contract between the Ministry and Soma Oil and Gas has an expectation of “quid pro quo” is simply inaccurate and misleading.” Read the Full Statement
The scam in Mogadishu is so wide and free for all and only a perusal of leaked SEMG documents and Soma Oil Capacity Building Contract can better illustrate the depth of looting under President Hasan Sheikh Mahmud.
Download to read the leaked
1. Soma Oil SFG Capacity Building Contract
2. SEMG Communication
3. SEMG Report
Copyright: Somalilandsun, 2015.
