A bitter feud is brewing within the Petroleum Department of the government headed by Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble following a surprise move by Minister Abdirashid Ahmed Mohamed.
The dispute began after Minister Abdirashid Ahmed Mohamed fired six ministry officials. The Somali Times was able to obtain the names of the officials fired by the Minister, as follows:
1) Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum, Jamaal Qasim Mursal.
2) Director General of the Ministry of Petroleum, Karar Shukri Doomey
3) Dr. Abdullahi Hayday, Head of Regulation of the Ministry
4) Technical Head of the Ministry, Abdikadir Abikar
5) Head of the Legal Department of the Ministry, Attorney Tahiil
6) Ibrahim Ali Hussein, Director of the Petroleum Authority.
The minister sacked officials which are said to be at loggerheads over who will enter into the contracts for the licensing of exploration and production. The ousted officials argue that the Petroleum Authority was free to do the job but the minister has intervened in recent years which eventually led to the move being described as illegal.