Postby Gladiator= » Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:12 pm
Puntland's General Auditor exposed over $20 million missing and the Speaker gave his Financial Statement report approval.
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Somalia: Puntland Auditor-General gets fired in political row
GAROWE, Somalia July 22 (Garowe Online) - Puntland President Mohamud "Adde" Muse has fired the region's Auditor-General following a political row that implicated the president himself in a scandal local lawmakers dubbed "Puntland Gate."
Ahmed Mohamed Hassan was replaced by new Auditor-General Hiddig Adan, according to a presidential decree issued Sunday.
Hassan was instructed to report to the Ministry of Labor in the Puntland capital, Garowe.
There was no official reason for replacing Hassan but presidential sources said its part of a "housecleaning" campaign to turn favors around for the embattled Muse administration.
The region's longtime minister of security, Ahmed Abdi Habsade, was sacked earlier today. [ Full story]
President Muse's decision to fire the former Auditor-General comes a day after he promised lawmakers that his administration intends to improve relations with parliament.
Hassan played a leading role in the preparation of the 2006 budget report, which lawmakers refused to ratify last month. [ Full story]
Lawmakers sent that report back to the administration after major financial discrepancies were exposed in the report, with some $US10.2 million unaccounted for, according parliament Speaker Ahmed Ali Hashi.
Both Hashi and Hassan are from Sanaag region, northwest of Garowe.
One MP who did not want to be named in print told Garowe Online that sacking Hassan was an "unnecessary move," especially at a time the administration is hoping to improve relations with legislators.
Islaan Hussein Haji Abdi, a clan elder in Sanaag, accused President Muse of "interfering" in the clan's internal affairs by appointing their parliament representatives.
Haji Abdi said he was referring to Osman Dalmar, a former parliament Speaker who was voted out last year over corruption charges. Dalmar, a Muse ally, has been reinstated to his parliament seat after President Muse intervened on his behalf. [ Full story]
Source: Garowe Online