Media groups in Somalia raise alarm over corrupt individuals in the National Commission of Education, Culture and Science appointed by the Federal Government

Press Statement

Mogadishu- Monday, December 09, 2019: Somali media fraternities have strongly opposed the formation of the National Commission of Education, Culture and Science appointed the Ministry of Education of Federal Government of Somalia on Sunday.

Among the newly appointed members of the commission is Omar Faruk Osman, a well-known fraudulent and corrupt individual who inflicted serious corruption practices in Somali media and Somali trade unions in the past two decades.

“It is a shame and embarrassment that an individual who is known well for his corruption practice histories to be part of a national commission and we call on the Federal Government of Somalia to review the formation of the commission and make a personal background check for all commission members before officially setting up and announce” Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu the Secretary General of Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) said.
Somali media groups welcome the statement issued by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism which strongly opposed the path to the formation of this national commission and criticized to the Ministry of Education for unilaterally forming a commission which has hasn’t been consulted by all concerned sides and stakeholders whose also members are unskilled persons who did not come from concerned governmental institutions and reputable civil society members in Somalia.

According to worldwide corruption statistics, Somalia still remains at the bottom of the list, year after year. To make a change for that situation it is necessary that all members in the national commissions to be individuals with clean hands and have respect in Somali communities.

Omar Faruk Osman has a criminal record in Kenya and Ethiopia was also separately detained in Nairobi and Addis Ababa with issues relating to money laundering and fraud, see the below links and related articles and in 2011 UN issued a risk report against him.

https://nairobinews.nation.co.ke/news/police-arrested-top-au-diplomat-jkia-sh3-6m-hotel-bill
https://menafn.com/1097380522/Somalia-Former-FESTU-Secretary-General-Arrested-in-Ethiopia-Awaits-Deportation
https://www.hiiraan.com/op4/2018/Jan/146182/ifj_should_be_the_global_voice_of_journalists_and_not_to_be_the_voice_of_a_well_known_fraud.aspx

Finally, the Somali media sector will make a petition against the appointment of a commission member of somebody who is one of the most corrupt people in Somalia, calling on the Federal Government of Somalia, particularly Ministry of Education to review and make changes to the newly appointed members in the National Commission of Education, Culture and Science.

Meanwhile, international organizations such as UNESCO, which we believe that it knows well about the person being talked about, are requested not to support a national commission among its members are corrupt people.

Attached here is the press release of Minstry of Information,Culture and Tourism of Federal Government of Somalia.

End.

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