Somali Govt denies accusations that it failed to pay armed forces

[Deeq A.]

The Somali government has denied accusations that is has not provided salary and remuneration for its armed forces for the past months.

The move came after some section of Somali media reported that contingents of the armed forces deployed along Mogadishu-Marka road vacated their bases due to lack payment on Sunday.

A press statement from the ministry of the Defence has denied the claims saying each and every member of force receives a monthly stipend through a personal bank account.

“Each and every registered armed forces member gets wage via bank account at the end of the month, “reads the statement.

The Defence Ministry, however, acknowledged that there is verification process ongoing and any force member that might have been affected by the process can record at the nearest specified centre.

“Any registered member who has not received monthly wages can register at the nearest station, ” the Defence Ministry assured.

There is ongoing digital registration of Somali armed forces that was started by President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo’s government shortly after coming to power two years ago.

The process is meant by the government to improve the welfare of the forces and come up with smooth procedures to do away with corruption and ghost staffs in the defence department that has affected the sector for years.

The exercise that also involves the registration of all civil servants is scheduled to conclude before the end of the year.

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