PM Barre fires at Deni, accuses him of derailing debt relief process

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Prime Minister Hamze Barre has lashed out at Puntland president Abdullahi Deni over what he termed as his attempts to sabotage the debt relief process in what is perhaps the harshest criticism against the embattled leader from the Federal Government.

Speaking during a function Monday night in Kaaran district of Mogadishu, Barre said Deni’s failure to participate in key decision-making forums such as the National Consultative Council was tantamount to sabotaging the debt relief process. Somalia is anticipating reaching the Completion Point of the debt relief process under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative next year.

“I am telling the Somali people from Puntland, my brothers, they do not deserve a black history to be written in Puntland, to say that Somalia’s debt forgiveness has failed, that it was failed by Puntland, that cannot be accepted, we ask that development and politics be separated,” Barre said.

He said the Federal Government needed to employ 400 teachers for Puntland in addition to hiring security personnel for the state but that Puntland government was derailing these efforts. Only Puntland does not ascribe to the nationally standardised examinations for grade eight and 12.

Deni announced on January 22 that he would no longer be attending the NCC meetings and that it will only engage directly with the Federal Government. Critics have however claimed the decision was a political vendetta against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud over alleged failed promises after the May 15, 2022 presidential elections.

President Mohamud fired a similar salvo last week calling on Deni to allow the people of Puntland to make their choices following claims of attempts by the outgoing leader to manipulate the May 25 District Council elections.