Somaliland: Good returns after Stringent Financial Controls

[Jacaylbaro]

HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) - The 23% increment in the 2012 national budget has been made possible by stringent financial controls embarked on by the Silanyo Administration

 

This was revealed by the finance Minister Hon. Mohamed Hashi Elmi during a briefing on the just council of ministers approved budget for 2012.

 

The finance minister told civil servants that promised salary increments will most likely take effect either mid or late this year, as opposed to the anticipated effect from January this year.

 

"Due to other immediate needs and considering last year's 100% salary increment for civil servants similar boost will take effect from either June or end year".

 

Civil servants and members of the three branches of the armed forces received 100% salary increments in the first budget of the Silanyo presidency. This was the first budget increase for the civil service since 1993

 

On the 2012 budget the finance minister reiterated the government's commitment to civil servants salary increases which follows a survey conduct by his ministry with the returns showing that a person can live with a basic salary of $250-$300 a month as opposed to the less than $50 used to be paid during the Rayale administration. He revealed that the anticipated increases though not effective until either June or Dec this year will be in the range of between 20-30%

 

"If we expect civil servants to perform as per then it is imperative that they be paid enough to live on".

 

Hon. Hashi said that they inherited a budget of $45 million from the Rayale administration, which was below per due to either lackluster tax collection or misappropriation. Said he, "this amount is negligible as per the budgetary needs of the government".

 

According to the finance minister the current administration of H.E. President Silanyo, has managed to increase the annual budget at a rate of almost 25% since 2011, attributing this achievement to stringent financial controls that concentrate on proper tax collection and anti-graft vigilance.

 

Hon. Hashi further accused Ex-President Dahir Rayale Kahin for siphoning millions of public cash to Europe where he is said to be living a kingly life in France. He further alluded to the fact that though taxation was low in the during the Rayale administration, official graft was sanctioned thus low budgetary allocations to legal government expenditure.

 

While praising the health ministry for massive development strides, specifically those fronted by the deputy minister M/s Nimo Qawdan, the finance minister decried the capital flight entailed by constant flights to foreign countries especially the U.A.E, Malaysia, Kenya and Ethiopia in quest of specialized medical attention.

 

Said he, "In the 2012 budget we have allocated a significant amount to the health ministry in order to negate prevalent need for external medical facilities"

 

The finance minister added that the increased amount will go towards acquiring in-house medical experts and drugs since relevant machinery is available but lacks human expertise.

 

Meanwhile the 2012 budget has been submitted to Guurti, the house of elders following approval by the House of Representatives.

 

The budget which was submitted to the House of Representatives by the finance minister following subsequent approval by the council of ministers

 

It is anticipated that Guurti will approve the budget within a couple of days following the expedited approval by the lower house of parliament.

 

As Guurti is the last hurdle and approval is expected the budget is expected to become operational in the next 10 days.

 

This is the second year in a row that the house of representatives has expeditiously approved the budget.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Excellent work by Mr Muhammad hashi cilmi it all going the right direction

 

Laakin ina xaashi kabta ayuu la yara dul maray odaygi daahi rayaale:D

[Freedom]

Go Somaliland

[Jacaylbaro]

It is moving ..... so far so good.