Controversy as new bank notes arrive at Mogadishu's airport

16 May 16, 2010 - 12:06:41 AM

Somalia’s fragile transition government has received millions of new printed Somali currency that is expected to be distributed across the war-torn country, Radio Garowe reports.
A private jet transported the 22 million Somali shilling note, which was printed in Malaysia, to the restive capital Mogadishu and subsequently handed over to the Somali central Bank.
Lawmaker Asho Ahmed Abdalla said the parliament was not aware of the printing and arrival of the new shilling, warning that it is a plan by top TFG leadership to devastate the already ruined economy.
Some members of the cabinet, whom we can’t name, are behind this. It’s meant to destroy the country’s already devastated economy,” she said, adding that plans were to hide the arrival of the currency.
Somalia’s Finance minister Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, who was recently accused of embezzlement of state funds, did not give official comments regarding the arrival of the currency.
However, his Treasury counterpart, Abdirahman Omar Osman (Eng. Yarisow) said he only know plans to print currency in Sudan.
"We entered into agreement with Sudan to print our new currency, which is yet to come out,” he said.
Traders in Mogadishu have quickly vowed to turn down the introduction of the currency in the market, saying it creates confusion
Somali government inked agreement with Khartoum to print print current that cost tops $17 million.
Somalia has had no effective central government for 19 years and the current UN-backed transition government operates under the mercy of African Union peacekeeping troops, which control only the capital’s seaport, airport and Presidential Palace.
GAROWE ONLINE