Puntland Vice President Ahmed Karash suspended the minister of aviation and airports, Hussein Osman Lugatoor (Gebiley), and minister of ports Ahmed Yasin Salah for “non-compliance with their constitutional duties.”
According to reports, the two ministers ignored the vice president’s order not to obstruct the humanitarian plane carrying the first deputy speaker of the Somali parliament, Sadia Yasin Samatar.
On Monday, Puntland authorities turned back a plane carrying humanitarian aid sent by the federal government for drought-affected people in the Bari region. The plane was travelling with a delegation led by the first deputy speaker of the Somali parliament.
Puntland interior minister Mohamed Abdirahman Dhabanad told local media that the delegation did not contact authorities to arrange for a reception and added that Puntland is ready to work with the federal government. However, Sadiyo Yasin Samatar denied allegations by the Puntland regional state that the provincial administration was unaware of her humanitarian trip to Bossaso.
Samatar said that she informed the traditional elders and administration of the Bari region of her plans to travel to Bossaso with seven tonnes of humanitarian aid. She also added that she contacted Ahmed Karaash, the vice president of Puntland, who had given the order for the food to be unloaded.
The deputy parliamentary speaker said that the pilot insisted he did not have enough fuel despite being told to return to Mogadishu while the plane was in the air.
The Vice President previously fired the ministers of interior, finance and security. However, their dismissal did not materialize, and his action on Tuesday confirms that there is still a lingering political impasse between Karash and President Deni.
President Deni, meanwhile, shortened his overseas trip and is anticipated to arrive in Garowe today to address the situation in Puntland.
