Transporters appeal to government to access Mogadishu port

The Mogadishu Transporters Association has appealed to the government to intervene and help them access the port of Mogadishu noting they had been locked out for the last three years.

The transporters said they had lost livelihoods as a result following the introduction of a new system three years ago which limited the number of vehicle transporting goods from the port.

“I am informing you about our complaint which is based on violation, injustice and corruption done against the public especially the transporters which used to transport loads from Mogadishu port. Before Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration, there was an association of 7,900 vehicles which had access to the port.”

“It was scrapped off by Mohamud’s administration and awarded only six companies made of less than 400 vehicles. The rest of the vehicles are now lying in garages in squalid conditions in Mogadishu. We appeal to the government to come to our aid” said the association spokesperson Abdullahi Farah Ali Farah told Goobjoog News.

Farah Osman Ali who is among the vehicle owners who used to operate inside the city port requested the top leaders of the government to consider their grievance.

“We have raised this issue with the government will do it again especially to the president, the prime minister and the governor of Banadir. A bout six individuals that blocked us for the last three years since the time of the former administration.” said Ali, adding, “We expected the new administration to address this issue since we have been visiting the ministry of transport for the last six months. We are only seeking our rights to do loading activities in the port as Somali citizens. We need justice.”

The port management was not immediately available for comment.