{"id":17069,"date":"2025-06-24T08:44:11","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T08:44:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/?p=17069"},"modified":"2025-07-02T11:48:35","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T11:48:35","slug":"unpaid-salaries-threaten-to-cripple-puntlands-world-bank-funded-locust-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/2025\/06\/24\/unpaid-salaries-threaten-to-cripple-puntlands-world-bank-funded-locust-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Unpaid Salaries threaten to cripple Puntland\u2019s World Bank-funded locust program"},"content":{"rendered":"

GAROWE —<\/strong> A World Bank\u2013funded anti-locust program in Puntland is facing collapse following allegations of widespread corruption, unpaid wages, and financial mismanagement involving the region\u2019s agriculture ministry.<\/span><\/p>\n

The project, which was initially hailed as vital to preventing crop destruction across Puntland\u2019s drought-prone regions, has reportedly not paid its staff for over eight months. Employees and security guards at the locust control center in Qardho blame Puntland\u2019s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Mohamed Abdulkadir Salah, widely known as Doonyale, for the wage delays and alleged misappropriation of project funds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Internal correspondence reviewed by HOL confirms that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) received formal complaints about unpaid salaries and travel reimbursements covering as early as last August. The FAO advised affected workers to report the matter to the Office of the Auditor General under the Puntland Presidency, which is investigating similar issues. The FAO also stated it had already conveyed the complaint to the Auditor General \u201cto ensure a comprehensive review and resolution.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sources\u00a0say<\/span>\u00a0the fallout has\u00a0<\/span>led to<\/span>\u00a0the freezing of incoming project funds.<\/span>\u00a0The Director General of the Agriculture Ministry has since\u00a0<\/span>been suspended<\/span>\u00a0pending an internal probe.<\/span><\/p>\n

The issue drew parliamentary attention last week during a session of the Puntland regional assembly, where one lawmaker questioned whether the government was aware that\u00a0<\/span>project staff had not been paid<\/span>\u00a0for eight months. Legislators urged the Minister of Agriculture to respond to the mounting concerns and clarify the status of the program\u2019s finances.<\/span><\/p>\n

The locust program, one of the few federally-backed development initiatives operating in Puntland, is funded annually by the World Bank and is part of international efforts to combat the impact of desert locust swarms across East Africa and the Horn of Africa.\u00a0<\/span>The project is central to protecting crops and livestock in a region heavily reliant on agriculture and pastoralism.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2020, the World Bank launched the $500 million Emergency Locust Response Program (ELRP), which includes a $40 million allocation for Somalia. These funds support emergency cash transfers, agricultural rehabilitation, and locust surveillance activities through projects like the Shock-Responsive Safety Net for Locust Response Project\u2014commonly known as\u00a0<\/span>Baxnaano<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Puntland, FAO and regional officials launched the National Desert Locust Monitoring and Control Centre in Qardho in 2021 with support from the UK and USAID. The center\u00a0<\/span>was designed<\/span>\u00a0to serve as a permanent hub for locust surveillance and rapid response, helping safeguard pastoralist and farming communities from recurring infestations.<\/span><\/p>\n

As of publication, the Puntland government has not issued a public response to the allegations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source: HOL\u00a0 \u00a0Origin: view original<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

GAROWE — A World Bank\u2013funded anti-locust program in Puntland is facing collapse following allegations of widespread corruption, unpaid wages, and financial mismanagement involving the region\u2019s agriculture ministry. The project, which was initially hailed as vital to preventing crop destruction across Puntland\u2019s drought-prone regions, has reportedly not paid its staff for over eight months. Employees and …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17070,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-food-security-cluster","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t