By Yassin Abdillahi Ahmed

Ali Ibrahim, a former UNILO technocrat-turned, a glowing minister which turned further uncompromising role model minister and the old saying, “good name shines in the dark” very much concerns.

His former Organization has held special appreciation to his extraordinary service in the UN Agency, the Dar es Salaam-based ILO Conference Hall has been named after him in a colorful ceremony that was held on September last year.

Some 13 ILO Africa Regional Directors and other delegates attended the function from the UN Agency’s headquarters.

He utilized politics as vocation not as the end of ambition. His cabinet colleagues have failed miserably to hookwine him. Let us face it, Ali and his cabinet colleagues are very different personalities, with little in common except their black skins. Ali is forever cautious in every difficult situation. Ali is a man whose charisma and ideas had won the attention of Somali Lander’s with ease.

All the activities Ali was involved were for a cause he believes in – not for money. This comes as a big surprise to a generation of Somali Lander’s who have witnessed politicians fighting the most vicious wars to make money on the backs of poor Somali Lander’s, at a times even stealing money intended for starving population. Such a people have misses their vocation and Somaliland and indeed the whole continent is the poorer.

While he was working under hard conditions, taking hard choices and tough decisions there was no backup. He did not go out to publicize himself, or demand adoration from sycophants and praise-singers, which is currently norm in Somaliland.

Ali distinguished him self as a leading thinker of development planning in east Africa. He defended the development policies that Somaliland adopted mainly, JNA and its successor R & D with intellectual logic and eloquence that is hard to match.

It is very clear that the challenges facing Somaliland was and is, a clearly defining vision for the future, and a clear roadmap along which development have to travel if this vision has to be arrived it.

In other words, within the upcoming five year plan will be found both (as I hope) a philosophy and a program of development, clearly stated, articulated and projected into future.

As we try to rebuild our country from the ashes of decades of dictatorship and tribal conflicts, we should never forget this. Only leaders have the capability to unite or Divide Ali chose unity and he showed us the way in word and deed. The success after success of the Somaliland planning ministry for the last couple of years, was also in a large measure due to the political acumen and skilful leadership demonstrated by Ali Ibrahim; this gentleman is eminently qualified to the public office he currently hold as has been demonstrated by the efficient and dedicated manner with which he delivered his responsibilities He is a political icon and a true patriot.

Ali probably has some tricks up his sleeve that will enable him to develop the minister’s post into a de facto prime minister even without it being so legislated. What I am suggesting is that power does not come from document. It depends on how an agent uses available opportunities. And Ali has it in his personality to make much mileage out of nothing. His experience at the UN is an asset. Given an inch, he will take every thing. He has got an inch. It all he needs.

But the road towards the success is rough and it needs decisive decisions. Civil service reform is paramount importance; we need to attract talents, to make all possible means to bring brilliant people on board.

Currently, there is a little relations between budgeting and planning if at all exists, But their is a serious need to combine the planning and finance ministries though it will take time but the urgent need is coherent policy. The Government has to get down to the serious business of ensuring that the economy starts growing to provide the much-needed jobs and incomes that would go a long way in addressing the chronic poverty in the country.

To all I say, there’s not a minute to waste; get cracking

Yassin Abdillahi Ahmed

Hargeysa, Somaliland.

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