Conflict of interest mars a research on corruption in Puntland

[Deeq A.]

Garowe ( PPM) — A research partly commissioned by Kaalo, a Garowe-based NGO, and published in February issue of Journal of Financial Crime, brings to light  corruption in humanitarian aid. The paper by Abdinur Abdirisak Sofe, discusses the extent to which some Puntland line ministries facilitate embezzlement of humanitarian aid – ” corruption  in project granting” – and implicated ” project managers and support staff in addition to line ministries, parliament and community representatives.”

Founded in 1991, Kaalo Aid and Development “is involved in relief aid, rehabilitation and development programs in various sectors: Education, Health, Rural Development, Agriculture and livelihood and Governance (Peace, Human Rights, Gender Development, and Democracy and Psycho social issues).”

The researcher used interviews – known as qualitative method in the social parlance – to gather data on corruption in the humanitarian sector in Puntland. Reluctance of people and government workers to be interviewed about the prevalence of corruption is one limitation of the study.  

Conflict of interest affects the rationale and conclusions of the paper. Kaalo is an NGOs that delivered many tender-based humanitarian projects. It has received funds from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) “to enrich the governance knowledge in the country and help the fight against corruption.”

” If a consortium of NGOs commissioned the report a conflict of interest would not crop up” says  Jama Dahir, a former civil servant in Bosaso. ” The research will raise the profile of the organisation that commissioned the researcher to carry out the research.  That is the main takeaway from the paper.”

© Puntland Post Monthly, 2020  

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