Let’s focus on recovery of the country, President Farmaajo tells state leaders

The Federal Government Wednesday evening admonished state presidents for their demands highlighted in a 16 point communique noting efforts must be focused on the country’s recovery process.

Both President Mohamed Farmaajo and Prime Minister Hassan Khaire said the country was moving forward and that any challenges must be addressed through dialogue ‘while remaining faithful to the constitution’.

“I want to remind you all that we must acknowledge that our country is on the path of recovery, and the only way we can achieve full recovery is through cooperation,” the president said in a statement.

“We must therefore all strive for the good of this country and be true to the oath that we all took to put the country first.”

The President’s response follows a raft of demands and concerns raised by the state leaders which they capped with the formation of the Council of Interstate Cooperation, a forum bringing together all the regional state leaders.

The leaders had among others accused the federal government of unilateral decisions which had impact on the states. Citing article 53 of the Provisional Constitutional, the leaders said the Federal Government must consult the states on critical issues with import on regional states. Without citing the Gulf issue which most of the states have fallen out with Mogadishu, the leaders said it in the best interest of the regions that the federal government consults with them.

But Prime Minister Hassan Khaire said criticism must not be motivated by personal interests. “It is important that criticism should not be based on personal interest; criticism that destroys the light of life we got. I am telling all Somalis, Somalia is moving forward and will not go back again.”