Somalia: Puntland's cabinet ministers officially takes oath

GAROWE, Puntland - The members of the new Puntland's leaner cabinet have officially taken the oath of office on Tuesday during an occasion held at the presidential palace in Garowe city, Garowe Online reports.

The state’s chief justice, Yusuf Haji Nur administered the oath of the cabinet comprising of ministers, deputy ministers and state ministers with the presence of President Said Abdullahi Deni, VP Ahmed Karash and other senior officials.

In a statement from the presidency said four ministers out of the 48-member cabinet didn’t attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new ministers on Tuesday due to being absent from Puntland and they will be sworn-in after arrival.

The president held a meeting with the cabinet members and congratulated them on taking office and wished them success and productive work for the sake of the northeastern oil-rich state which is currently battling factions of al-Qaeda and ISIL.

During the first meeting, president Deni urged the new cabinet members to execute their duties diligently and serve transparently, honestly and efficiently for Puntland and its people.

Situated on the Gulf of Aden near the entrance to the Red Sea, Puntland became semi-autonomous in 1998 and had escaped the worst of Somalia’s bloody civil war broke out in after warlords ousted former military regime in 1991.

The region has witnessed another smooth transfer of power after electing former Somalia's minister of planning, Said Abdullahi Deni as president during a closely contested election took place in Garowe on the 8th of last January.

GAROWE ONLINE