What should Puntland's priorities be?

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What should the Puntland government's priorities be? by Mahdi Abullah MBA


This article is not intended to be my entrance to the crowded world of Somali “pen warlords”, but to share the expectation of the new government in the autonomous Somali region of Puntland. The peaceful transfer of power from the previous administration to the president elect is evidence of the maturity of our Democracy in Puntland. Regardless of Dayniile and Af nugaal write, this election was free and fair and we should support the government in these difficult times.



The Cade administration failed in achieving anything worth mentioning during its tenure and as a result a lot of Puntlanders don’t have much in their own government. President Faroole and his administration will have to bring a real change to the state that will benefit the majority of people. The government will not be able to solve all of the problems of the region, but should focus on the major problems we face.



The first priority should be security of external borders and in our cities. Under the previous administration piracy became a major issue in Puntland, and Sool was invaded by the secessionist in Hargeisa. The security forces of the region need to be organized so they are capable of protecting the borders of the region and liberate Las Anod and other missing regions. The government should make sure the people serving in the police force and others in the public sector are paid their salary in a timely manner. The government should negotiate with the clans to turn in their weapons to the government so that it is security personnel only that have weapons.



With reliable internal security and borders secured, the government should focus on the economy and creating jobs. The government needs to do a better job of controlling counterfeit that is causing rampant inflation in Puntland. To keep young men from joining pirates and fanatics like Al-Shabaab the government needs to create jobs. Attracting credible foreign investment under the current political situation in the country is impossible, but jobs can be created in different ways. For example, building the infrastructure of the region such as roads, schools and hospitals will create enough jobs.






This will cost a lot of money but the government can afford this public works project if its revenues are properly managed. Creating jobs will increase the government’s tax base in the long run because these people will spend their money to buy products and services.



To compete in a global economy and attract foreign investments, Puntland will need an educated workforce. The government needs to build schools and make it possible for every child in Puntland to get basic education. The Department of Education must require every teacher in Puntland to be licensed so that those responsible for educating future generation meet basic licensure requirements.



If President Faroole and his administration achieve some of these expectations then it will be judged as a government for the people. To solve the tremendous challenges facing Puntland requires choosing people that want to serve their country and not the same people that destroyed the regional government or the Somali Republic. People should be appointed to positions based on their ability and knowledge and clan politics should have no place in putting together an effective team.



Mahdi Abdullah MBA



Mahdi_Abdullahi@yahoo.com