Somalia: Puntland MPs urge Govt to pay salaries

GAROWE, Somalia-Lawmakers in Somalia’s Puntland Parliament have passed 2015 budget review in a decisive vote on Thursday, Garowe Online reports.

The debate on the budget review firstly trigged heated exchanges in the parliament after substantial deficit emerged over the approved budget and expenditure.

MP Nuradin Abdirashid Ali told Puntland-based independent station, Radio Garowe that the lawmakers voted on the judges of Supreme Court whom they unanimously endorsed and 2015 budget review.

He said, the MPs summoned Finance Minister Abdullahi Sheikh Ahmed for questioning during the parliamentary deliberations.

Over USD 6 million is found to have been spent on trips to Mogadishu and March counteroffensives against Al Shabaab militants.

Ahmed criticized the Finance Minister for defending too many trips by the government officials as civil servants reel under long overdue pays.

Moreover, the MP called on the government to pay salaries of civil servants, warning of governance drawbacks should government continue to fail to attend to disgruntled employees.

The appeal comes amid complaints voiced over unpaid salaries of government employees and security forces.

GAROWE ONLINE