MOGADISHU, Somalia – The scandal-ridden Ministry of Environment and Climate Change under Minister Lt. Gen. Bashir Mohamed Jama and Director General Yusuf Abdirahman Samatar is again embroiled in another scandal of monumental proportions, this time involving the carefully orchestrated embezzlement scheme of Ugbaad (Climate Resilient Agriculture in Somalia) project funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) approved in October last year and which is being “managed” by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Federal Ministry Environment and Climate Change (MoECC).
Ugbaad is an adaptation project with a total project value of $94.9M which, if well implemented could change the lives and livelihoods of over 2 million people on the frontline of the climate crisis in Somalia. Ugbaad is also expected to support the restoration and sustainable management of 41,800 Ha of productive landscapes and ecosystems.
However, confidential information leaked by a source within MoECC has laid bare the elaborate plans being hatched by high-ranking officials from MoECC, with what appears to be a tacit approval of FAO, to divert some $5,751,491 of the Ugbaad funds, ostensibly for the MoECC to undertake “coordination functions”, though the source argues that the Ministry wants to demand more funds from the Ugbaad project.
The source has further revealed that several secret meetings have been held between FAO staff based in Somalia and the Director General and the Principal Advisor to Minister Bashir Jama, to scheme how to embezzle these funds.
Shocking details have been provided by the source, whom Shabelle cannot name for personal safety and to avoid victimization by DG Yusuf Samatar. These details, including slush fund budget lines, show how senior MoECC officials are padding budgets in their “devious scheme to embezzle GCF funds”, according to a detailed document seen by Shabelle.
According to data from a MoECC source, out of the $5,751,491 project budget, a staggering $1,071,480.46 has allegedly been set aside for consultants with duplicated roles—an apparent scheme to funnel kickbacks to top MoECC officials. Equally alarming is the blatant duplication under ‘workshops and conferences,’ where another $1,057,457.62 is earmarked to be squandered on vague activities. Disturbingly, the Ministry’s submitted budget, which appears to have received FAO’s approval, raises serious concerns about collusion and financial misconduct.
The MoECC has devised a brazen scheme to siphon off $668,400.00 under the guise of “local travels” for senior officials, while an additional $360,000.00 has been conveniently earmarked for car hire and transport services – raising serious red flags. Even more shocking, a staggering $1,793,000.00 is set to be funneled into contracts awarded to well-connected insiders for duplicating functions that FAO is already handling under the Ugbaad project, clearly exposing a “deep-rooted plan of embezzlement and cronyism” at the highest levels of the Ministry, a per the document seen by Shabelle.
“With the full knowledge of the Minister and his principal advisor, Godah Barre, the Director General has orchestrated this calculated scheme to siphon funds through ‘legalised corruption,’ embedding it into the project from the outset. Samatar is fully confident that FAO, desperate for the project’s implementation, will not dare question him – knowing his firm stance that the ‘money belongs to the Somali government’ and that he holds the power to ‘halt the initiative’. Moreover, he is assured that Godah Barre stands ready to execute the Minister’s orders without hesitation” says senior Ministry official at the Ministry, who added “FAO is seems to be aware of the ‘legalised corruption’ but is deliberately turning a blind eye, prioritising their own interests instead of confronting the issue”.
It should be noted that DG Yusuf Samatar was recently hastily embroiled in yet another corruption scandal, in which he, along with the Minister’s Principal Advisor, was accused of “extortion”, “misappropriation of donor funds”, and “blackmail”.
However, despite these concerns, multiple sources within the Ministry indicate that Mr. Yusuf Samatar is instead getting emboldened and that he has in fact told off FAO for raising uncomfortable questions regarding MoECC use of GCF funds provided under Ugbaad project. Mr. Yusuf Samatar has managed to browbeat FAO into silence by threatening to cancel their contract under Ugbaad project, says an official close to the Minister’s office.
Multiple sources within government circles report how Mr. Yusuf Samatar has completely overshadowed the State Minister and Deputy Minister, operating with the full backing of the Minister and Godah Barre and has effectively personalised the Ministry’s entire operations. Staff members reveal that the Director General (DG) enters their offices, uses their computers to draft documents and then instructs them to send those same documents to him from their own email accounts – creating a false impression that the work originated from them. “He has set up an elaborate web for extortion, bribery and corruption. He has a stranglehold on the Ministry and even donors and the UN agencies are being coerced to provide financial support to projects and initiatives, including doubtful projects” says a staff member.
What is even more shocking is that Direct Access Entities and communities at the frontline of the climate crisis are unlikely to benefit from Ugbaad, despite the acknowledgement by GCF, through Mafalda Duarte (Executive Director) that Somalia is second most vulnerable country to climate change in the world.
Indeed, another MoECC official says “it is even doubtful whether the GCF resources will meaningfully contribute to building that adaptation capacity of the country, nor is Ugbaad likely to contribute to the transition to a more resilient and productive agricultural practices as contemplated”.
Ugbaad is turning into a big feeding trough for the political honchos and their acolytes aided of course by the technocrats from the big international agencies such as FAO. And with the pernicious economic, social and political effects of corruption on the country, if unchecked, these wanton embezzlement of funds and budgeted corruption will continue to threaten the stability, justice and development of Somalia.
The misuse of Ugbaad project funds not only undermines the hopes and aspirations of the millions of Somalis on the frontline of the climate crisis, but it also threatens to erode the confidence in the international climate finance delivery architecture – ably represented by GCF.
