Somaliland information minister Says services rendered by the ministry should be revitalized and imbued with energy

By M.A. Egge

The Minister of Information, Culture and National Guidance Ali Mohamed Hassan (Ali Marehaan) has said that he wants to see that the services rendered by the ministry ought to revitalized and imbued with energy.

The minister made the statement on Tuesday as he presided over the handing over the office to the newly appointed Director General Mr. Mustafa Abdi Isse a.k.a Shiine, a veteran senior media personality.

He has been a long time Editor in Chief and also head of public newspapers group, DAWAN, chair of the Somaliland National Union of Journalists, SOLJA, before joining the administration and serving as regional governor in both Sool and Awdal regions.

His predecessor Mr. Abdikarin Aden Adde has transferred to the Ministry of Investment and Industrial Development in the same capacity.

The handing over ceremony was also attended by some members of the Council of Ministers, the Senate, Directors General, heads of agencies, departmental and sectional heads, and the general staff, amongst other distinguished guests.

Ali Mohamed Hassan (Ali Marrehaan), reiterated the importance of the ministry as a arterially major national institution.

He said that he expects the services rendered by the ministry to be pepped up and revitalized hence disclosed that a committee has been set up to review the programmes produced with the view of reforms to articulating to the vision expected of a formidable and diligent institution.

He said that make improvements would be made as per reformed changes in the programs subject to expert advisory and experiences of the staffers.

The minister emphasized the need of disseminating news as fast as possible as opposed to airing second hand news.

He said that best journalists that whose beats are prompt would be deservedly honoured or rewarded and as per their talents and creativity.

He decried the fact that the private sector in the industry disseminated their news much faster than the public one.

The minister once again pointed out that he expects the public information staffers, their studios and their working equipments and gadgets to be excellent and above average such that it deservedly becomes a prime institution.

Saying that the people of the nation expected a lot from the ministry, the minister said that they ought to work in collaboration as closely knit unit.

The new DG Mr. Mustafe Abdi Isse on his part emphasized the importance of this ministry to the nation and how it can be acknowledge for its duties and work for the nation.

He hilariously noted his happiness to return to the fold of the department whose profession he holds dear, before he entered the field of political administration.

While underpinning the need to work solidly in togetherness, he said: “We will work together as a team. I am happy that a talented young minister has preceded me, and I think he is capable of representing us befittingly while we hold fort”.

Noting that he expected diligence to be observed, he said, “I will not be the Director of the National TV, the radio or of various departments, but I’ll supervise with the expectations that all departmental heads expedite their duties and tasks duly”.

He gave a recap of his past resumes especially in the public information sector.

On the other hand, speakers at the function, be they departmental heads or MPs or distinguished guests, profoundly welcomed attesting to his public management prowess and at the same time duly acknowledged the good work done at the ministry by the outgoing DG.

Senate MP Abdiqadir Indho-indho, politician Mohamed Adan Ilmi (Ilkacase) and Sheikh Saleeban who is one of the leaders of the Kulmiye Party who spoke  testified to the diligence and responsible abilities of both the DGs of the two directors and prayed to God to protect them from their work.

Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Ahmed Abokor and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agricultural Development Mohamud Warsame Jama on their part pointed out that the two directors have a wealth of experience in public service to expedite further their duties.

The outgoing DG mentioned about the things that he undertook at the information ministry and thanked the staffers for the cordial working relationship accorded.

Mr. Abdikarin emphasized that the Ministry of Information was one of the pillars of the nation and the people who worked there were noble and dedicated to their work.

“The work of the Ministry is not something that can be summed up in a letter, it is a large ministry that has internal and external duties. The most important things that we have done concerned the rules and policies of the Department of Information and the National Media and the National Communication Policy, the Publicity Policy and the National Media Act that have been completed. Another notable thing is the revival of the great National Radio which is waiting to be put on the air. Installation of four new FM Radios and an increase in the radio’s reach. It also includes three new studios,” said the DG.