By M.A Egge
A credible state training center of journalism in Somaliland has been inaugurated for the first time by the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Somaliland at its own premises.
The Somaliland Media Training Centre was launched on Tuesday in a function that saw several cabinet ministers and top government agencies grace the occasion.
It is expected that the new journalism center would subsequently rise to the occasion of becoming a reputably formidable academy of excellence in the media profession, according to both the Minister of Information, Culture and National guidance Hon. Ali Mohammed Hassan and the Director General Mr. Mustafa Abdi.
Both the ministry of education and the civil service commission have declared that they will be at hand to support the initiatives and bolster the academy.
The minister who is popularly known as Ali Marehaan said that the center will teach the basic skills of the journalism profession, and that it would subsequently turn to a fully fledged media academic center in due course. The training center at the ministry was a long overdue institution that was indeed needed direly.
In his address at the event, the minister underscored the fact it was of utmost importance the scribes got ample skills and that they should depict patriotism
It is worth noting that upon the taking over of the helm of ministry; Minister Ali Marehaan has in a very short while so far lived to his pledge of taking the ministry to the next level he had promised to, a reputation he has depicted wherever he managed.
Many esteemed personalities who have in recent times visited the information ministry have hailed the minister in his face-lifting of the headquarters and its environs.
He coaxed people with responsibilities to leave behind better legacies at the places they are charged with when he hilariously quipped, “Naysayers may assume that I improve things for glamour, but no, charity begins at home”.
In the short spate of time of his tenure, the minister fledged the services of the ministry to every corner of the nation with installations of FM relay stations in every major region, setting up of the Togdeer ministry headquarters in Burao and beautification of the national headquarters and planting over 500 tree seedlings.
The Minister of Education and Science, Hon. Dr. Ahmed Aden Buhane, said that he is grateful to the officials of the Ministry of Information, for the significant changes they have made in the ministry and indicated that they deserve to be rewarded. He also promised that the Ministry of Education will help implement this institution.
The Minister of the Ministry of Financial Development, Dr. Saad Ali Shire said that he commends the Ministry of Information for the change made in the beauty of the Ministry’s headquarters and the establishment of the press institute, which he pointed out as one that is important for the nationalism of the Republic of Somaliland.
The Minister of Animal Husbandry Hon. Saeed Sulub Mohamed indicated that he was contented with Minister Ali Marehaan suitability in running the information docket and noted that the fruits of his labour are now palpable.
The Director General of the Ministry of Information and the Deputy Minister of Information, Mustafa Abdi Isse (Shiine) and Hon. Said Hassan Habane, informed the audience present on the stages of the journalism training institute implemented by the ministry, and said that it will play a significant role in building the knowledge of journalists in the country.
The chair of the Civil Service Commission and the director of the Civil Service Institute Messrs. Khalid Jama Qodah and Omar Eid Qolumbi also addressed the function and who promised to work with the training center for journalists opened by the Ministry of Information.
The Director of the Communications Department of the Ministry of Information, Jama Adan Mohamed, veteran scribe Abdilahi Adan Omar (Wayab), Sahra Eidle Noor, Ahmed Abdirahman Hirsi (Heello) and the Chair of the Somaliland Journalists Association of SOLJA, Shaafi Mohamed Ibrahim talked about the importance of this center and the role of the media in society and congratulated the ministry on its efforts to build the press.
The governor of Marodijeh region Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Aalin Timbaro, welcomed the training center and said that he was very amazed by the performance of the Ministry and admired the progress made.