By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – Several local NGOs engaged in social developmental aspects and programmes have denounced the UN food agency, the WFP and called on the government to either kick it out of the country or subject it to operate as due.
Household names in local civil and community based organization circles like Hadhwanag, Waaberi, Dareemo, Naadir, Barwaaqo among others have charged that WFP is out to derail or sabotage their services to the people.
In a large meeting at whom they converged to convey their displeasure, the groups were irked that proposals submitted and those assessed for the past three years were still un-answered.
This, they said, made them lose a lot of time and money in the efforts they painstakingly took.
The organizations which dealt in road and dam constructions, education, youth development etc said that there was good working relations with the state agency charged with the coordination of food but the WFP stunted their further efforts.
An example of the belligerent NGOs is Mr. Ahmed Farah Buluh who says that for over 18 months proposals he had submitted was processed but the WFP agency and its Hargeisa office went about it in circles.
Apart from the partiality of WFP the LNGOs who supported the demand by the director of Food Coordination Agency-FCA of the Somaliland government Mr. Yusuf Garas that the UN body may not issue food aid without his offices knowledge also claimed some items in projects which had been taxed have now expired hence compound the situation even more.
The FCA director who in his recent circular to all international humanitarian agencies and more specifically World Food Programme informed that his agency with the mandate to oversee all food support in the country must be put in the picture of such distribution said this was necessitated by inherent need of the state to keep tabs of activities.
This order by Mr. Garas which has elicited support from various LNGOs who claim that the UN food agency is not only bias as par whom and where to supply the foodstuffs but that the same are usually expired, saw they, LNGOs urge the state not only to ensure WFP complies with the FCA order but for the UN agency to be scrapped from list of tolerated bodies in the country if it refuses.
Meanwhile a report posted by Somalilandsun and other media outlets alleging misappropriation of food aid by local NGO beneficiaries that saw a number of these NGOs hold a press conference denying the alleged food aid corruption.
On its part the WFP through its Nairobi based communications officer raised issue with Somalilandsun for posting the article in which the agency claimed contained erroneous information.
As the battle for Food aid control in Somaliland goes on this website can state without fear or favour that misappropriation of the food aid is a reality and done in collusion with WFP staffers and their local agents mostly women in Hargeisa popularly nicknamed “ASHA KUSHI”
Our information reveals that LNGOs that apply to WFP for the various categories of food aid be it “Food for work” Food for assets” and or “School Feeding Program’ are usually informed of their success by the Asha Kushi’s who subsequently offer in advance payment of WFP food sale amounts of money to the tune of dollars thousands for the LNGO officials with the acquiesce to sale the food items once released from WFP.
Infect it is the Asha Kushi’s who are usually responsible for clearing all paper work and transportation from WFP offices with the beneficiary LNGOs purpose being to only sign relevant waybills etc.
Since the WFP releases the food following an agreement as pertains to purpose of use and subsequent monitoring by its officers the Asha Kushi’s who seemingly hold much 
sway with their cahoots in corruption inside WFP arrange to have the related monitoring hog-washed and reports meant to have been prepared far from the offices of WFP in the capital Hargeisa are actually done in the homes of these powerful KUSHI’s smack in the middle of Hargeisa.
If for any reason WFP has an issue with this claim we shall be not only very happy but willing to give proof.
Related and quoted articles
Somaliland: State Bars WFP from Direct Issuance of Food Aid
