Government to clear all salary arrears by December- PM Khaire
The government will clear all arrears owed to public servants and members of the Disciplined Forces by December, Prime Minister Hassan Khaire has said adding that his government will not incur any external credit until close of the year.
Speaking during a fundraiser event for the Military Welfare Committee Sunday evening, the PM said his government was committed to ensuring all government workers and security forces received all their dues owed by December.
“I want to categorically inform the Somali people wherever they maybe, on 31st December, 2017, any one working for the Somali government whether they are in the military or a civil servant will receive their salaries and the government will pay all its [local credits] from January to December,” the PM said.
“I also pledge that Somalia will not incur international credit for 2017.”
The International Monetary Fund last month urged the government to avoid accruing arrears which it said had ballooned over time. It also urged Somalia to align its budgetary expenditure with realistic revenue projections or confirmed grants to avoid accumulation of domestic arrears.
The global lender noted Somalia’s domestic arrears had accumulated numerous times in the past owing to budgets based on unrealistic revenue projections echoing a World Bank warning July in its second Economic Update report.
The Prime Minister also challenged Somalis to contribute in supporting the Military Welfare Committee formed this year to provide assistance to Somali military. “The men and women standing beside me wearing military, police and prison warder’s uniforms indicate they are ready to die for their country while in the prime of their lives. What are you as Somali citizen ready to do for the Somali nation tonight?”
Khaire said the government had pledged to contribute $20,000 to support the committee.