“It was shameful for Parliament to allocate hefty perks for leaders”-Sheikh Adam Siiro

Hargeisa, Jun 22, 2013 (SDN) – A senior cleric in self-declared Republic of Somaliland has opposed the new wage increment for legislators wich was approved last week. Sheikh Aden Siiro said it was shameful for Parliament to allocate hefty perks for leaders.

The new salary scale was approved by Aqalka Wakiillada (the Lower House of the Somaliland Parliament) last week.

President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Silanyo is to receive a monthly salary of $12,000 while his deputy Abdurahman Abdullahi Ismael Sayla’i will get $7,000.

Apart from other benefits, each of the two leaders will be entitled to retirement benefits amounting to 25 per cent of their current salaries. Somaliland’s Lower House Deputy Speaker Basha Mohamed Farah told journalists that the president and his deputy deserve hefty perks. “Our leaders must get the treatment they deserve in and out of office,” he said. Nearly 200 parliamentarians and Guurti (members of the upper house) also awarded themselves higher salaries and benefits. The new deal entitles each parliamentarian and Guurti member $13,200 as golden handshake at the end of his or her term, which is an equivalent of one year’s salary.

“How many people are suffering from hardships in this country at a time the leaders are busy scrambling for the scanty resources,” Sheik Aden said.
He pointed out that even the president of Indonesia, which is more developed than Somaliland, does not take home hefty sum. “Indonesia’s president is entitled to just $1,900 per month,” he said adding that Somaliland Government ought to use the resources for public services.
Somaliland, a relatively peaceful territory in the Horn of Africa, declared independence from the rest of Somalia in May 1991, following the collapse of the central government led by the late dictator Siad Barre.

However, the breakaway republic has not received recognition from the rest of the international community.

Source: Africareveiw