Controversy rears ugly head in Somali oil deals

Coast guard.

Coast guards patrol the Gulf of Aden. Somalia has about 58 oil blocks along its coastline. PHOTO | FILE | NMG

Somalia’s sale of offshore oil blocks has hit a rock following the dismissal of the chief executive of the petroleum authority amid claims of political interference only six months into his tenure.

Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, announced on January 21 that the Cabinet had dismissed Ibrahim Ali Hussein as chairman and chief executive of the Somalia Petroleum Authority (SPA) and replaced him with Asha Osman.