Petroleum Minister to be grilled on controversial oil deal

The Minister, who was a close ally of Farmajo before their fallout announced in February via his Twitter account the signing of seven production-sharing agreements for offshore hydrocarbon exploration.

News Keydmedia Online
21 April 2022

MOGADISHU, Somalia – The Minister for Petroleum and Mineral Resources will appear at the office of the Attorney General on Monday, April 25 to answer questions about a $7 million controversial oil deal.

The shady contract with the US-based Coastline Exploration Limited was signed by Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed in Turkey on February 26 of this year with the consent of the outgoing president Farmajo.

The minister is now in trouble, facing scrutiny from the office of the Attorney General, where he will be grilled on Monday at 11:00 AM. The lucrative agreement came amid the electioneering period in Somalia.

The Minister, who was a close ally of Farmajo before their fallout announced in February via his Twitter account the signing of seven production-sharing agreements for offshore hydrocarbon exploration.

In his bombshell tweet, the petroleum minister thanked Villa Somalia for supporting the process leading to the agreement, which was also signed by the Somali Petroleum Authority [SPA].

In rejoinder, both PM Roble and Farmajo have disavowed the contentious deal signed with U.S.-based Coastline Exploration Ltd [formerly Soma Gas & Oil], calling it “illegal” after a backlash the social media.

The office of Farmajo said the deal contravenes Presidential Decree 7/8/2021 which bans the inking of deals during elections so as to protect public resources from exploitation during the elections.

PM Roble also dismissed the agreement as “illegal, unacceptable” in a post on Twitter, saying he would “take all appropriate measures to protect our national resources.”

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