By M.A. Egge
The President H.E. Ahmed Mohammed Mohamud Silanyo has named a national committee charged with the task of addressing the serious drought issues that has gripped the country.
For the past four years many parts of the country missed the second rainfall and in its place drought has gradually struck the country at a slow and sure pace that has now gone out of control to the present immensely sorry state.
The national committee which is to be headed by the Vice President is composed of 17 persons which comprises of ministers, businessmen and members of the clergy.
In a decree that constituted the committee, the President said:- “As you are aware there is devastating drought whose adverse effects has impacted heavily on the pastures, livestock and the people”.
The President continued, “In view of this fact it is inevitable to have human emergency relief efforts to reach all the areas where the droughts have scarred immediately”.
The Head of State urged the committee to selflessly and diligently under take the task of soliciting for the relief supplies and coordinate their supplies to reach the affected.
The drought has bitten deeply into the fabrics of the country’s agricultural industry that the official production for the past couple of years was estimated at negligible 3%! Desertification has been widespread and the toll of livestock deaths has been steadily climbing.
The strife needs much more efforts than the country can address, albeit independently, for its dire situation is both quite intensive and extensive.
The members of the committee are as follows:
The Vice President H.E. Abdirahman Abdillahi Ismail (Saylici)
Minister of Region and Endowment Hon Sheikh Khaliil Abdillahi Ahmed
Minister of Finance Hon Samsam Abdi Adan
Minister of Commerce and International Investment Dr. Muse Qaasim Omar
Minister of Defence Hon Ahmed Haji Ali Adami
Secretary of Councill of Ministers Sharmarke Ahmed Muhumed
Chairman of the National Chamber of Commerce Mohamed Shukri Jama
Farhaan Liban Ahmed
Mohamed Ali Mohamed
Abdirahman Farah Harbi
Abdi-wahab Maah Mohamed
Abdirahman Ali Abdi
Sheikh, Essa Mohamud Abdillahi
Sheikh, Awil Fatah Shire
Sheikh, Abdirahman Sheikh Ahmed Sheikh Abdi
Sheikh, Mohamed Adan Muhumed
Sheikh, Hassan Abdi-salaan Sheikh Ali