The VP H.E. Abdirahman Abdilahi Ismail (Saili’i) who was flanked by some members of the cabinet, opened a crucial to review the performance of the JPLG (Joint Programme for local Governance) geared towards Local Government Decentralization and to approve the plan for the year 2023.
The meeting slated for two days opened at the Ambassador Hotel in Hargeisa and was also attended by international organizations in Somaliland that support the JPLG project, the county mayors, and the director of General of the Ministry of Interior Mohamed Yusuf Ismail.
The director of the JPLG office, Eng. Hussein Mohamud Ji’ir, who spoke about the importance of the meeting for the local government sector, said that the two-day meeting will discuss the JPLG project for the year 2022 and the plan for the next year 2023. It is the start of its fourth phase.
The Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Shukri Haji Ismail Bandare said that they work closely with the local governments of the six capital cities, and recently seconded six officials to work with them on land disputes.
Hon. Shukri said that the Ministry of Environment has established 15 centers to grow plants and that anyone can freely get the plants they need and they are working with the community to care for them and water them.
The Minister of Education, Hon. Ahmed Toorno, who made a statement, said that the JPLG projects are good, but it was imperative to collaborate with stakeholders.
The Minister of Interior Hon. Mohamed Kahin Ahmed who made a speech said that the JPLG project is good and it was started in the country in 2008 due to the existing circumstances in eight districts.
Minister Kahin said that now that the project has been going on for 14 years, it is necessary to streamline it. Noting that the country consisted of 108 districts, of which 23 are electoral ones, and the government has is committed to fledge the project in all other districts so that they all develop at the same pace.
The VP H.E. Abdirahman Abdillahi Ismail (Seyli’i) who gave a speech at the JPLG project evaluation meeting said that they are reviewing the JPLG projects that have been carried out and the plan to move to the fourth phase of the JLPG projects.
The VP who recalled the initiation of the JPLG projects said that it coincided with the time when the regional councils were elected for the first time in 2002 six years later, at a time he was one of the councilors elected from Boorama district.
He said that the second local councils elected for 2012-2021 have improved in the implementation of JPLG projects but those councils have not benefited well.
He however observed that the current ones are seemingly more enthusiastic and ready to do something for their community.
The VP praised the President and the Minister of Interior for agreeing to disburse the portion of local government budgets that used to be suspended.
