Somalia: Central Bank Governor resigns as corruption allegations surface
2 Nov 2, 2013 - 7:42:37 AM
GAROWE, Somalia Nov.2, 2013 (Garowe Online)-Somalia’s first woman to be appointed as the head of the country’s highest monetary authority Yusur Abrar has resigned over emerging corruption allegations, making the second governor to vacate the post within four months, Garowe Online reports.
Yusur Abrar, a long time public finance expert and a dual Somali-US national declared her departure decision in a letter dated October 30 and sent to the Somali Federal Government President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud from Dubai in response to unimpressive stories surfacing at the Mogadishu-based government offices, according to independent sources.
Corruption woes
The central bank, a patronage system for members of the government and an institution used as a private and independent authority by Mogadishu-based government officials has been a spot for accusations on public fund mismanagement, an issue that could have a serious impact on the government institutions in Mogadishu.
Though, corruption is still rampant and corrosive in Mogadishu, the international community is pushing ahead with progressive agendas to rebuild the war-torn horn of Africa nation- a country whose south-central regions are synonymous with chronic insecurity.
Abrar’s predecessor, Hadliye became an official enriching himself at the expense of the suffering millions but now, President Hassan’s reform should be a striking move when it comes to averting the ongoing large scale theft of government funds.
In Yusur’s letter seen by Financial Times, she said “From the moment I was appointed, I have continuously been asked to sanction deals and violate my fiduciary responsibility to the Somali people as head of the nation’s monetary authority.”
The emerging pervasive corruption is not new to Somalis as corrupt officials in Mogadishu privately siphoned the public property.
Tough conundrum
President Mohamud is facing tough conundrum to either earn praise or condemnation and he is expected to publicly react to the disheartening issues of corruption.
Analysts say, effective anti-corruption commission and policies encouraging transparency and accountability are much-needed to run counter to such tarnished images that could pose financial threats to the Somali Government institutions.
The international donors whose aid is unlikely to be weaned off by Mogadishu institutions are also trying to persuade Mohamud administration to enact crucial policies as building a stable Somalia remains a great priority for the global and regional allies.
GAROWE ONLINE
http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/pub ... face.shtml
