In brief
- Somaliland Standard reported on 2019-09-20 that the Minister of Transport awarded a $325,000 contract to supply dump trucks and a grader to a trader described as a relative.
- The report alleges the tender board was bypassed and the contract was signed without competitive bidding.
- No evidence is available on the number of trucks, delivery, payment, or any official response since that report.
On 20 September 2019, Somaliland Standard reported that the Minister of Transport of Somaliland had awarded a contract to supply dump trucks and a grader for the road development authority to a trader described as a relative of the minister.
The report states that the contract value is 325,000 US dollars and was signed on 23 May 2019 with Mr. Abdiwahab Mohumed Aw Aqli. The minister is named as Mr. Abdilahi Abokor Osman.
Allegations of unlawful award
Somaliland Standard alleged that the award was unlawful, claiming the minister did not allow the tender board to handle the bidding and signed the contract without a tender process. The report also claimed the Bihi-led government had repeatedly stated that purchases above 5,000 US dollars would go through the tender board committee.
Pricing questions
The report gives a unit price of 48,000 US dollars per dump truck and 85,000 US dollars for the grader. It does not state the number of trucks, so the total contract value of 325,000 US dollars cannot be reconciled with these per-unit prices. For example, one truck and one grader would total only 133,000 US dollars.
What is not established
The report does not provide a court ruling or finding by a procurement authority that the award was unlawful. No document is offered to prove the trader is actually a relative of the minister. There is no official statement from the road development authority or the ministry on the contract's status after the report. The number of trucks, delivery date, payment record, and any investigation outcome are not stated.
Somaliland Standard's report remains the only public source for these claims. No subsequent evidence has been provided on whether the contract proceeded, was cancelled, or is under review.
Frequently asked questions
What contract was awarded?
A contract to supply dump trucks and a grader to the road development authority, reportedly signed on 23 May 2019.
Who is the trader and their relation to the minister?
The trader is Mr. Abdiwahab Mohumed Aw Aqli. Somaliland Standard described him as a relative of the minister, but no specific relation is documented in the report.
What procurement rules were violated?
According to Somaliland Standard, the minister bypassed the tender board and signed the contract without competitive bidding, contrary to a stated government policy for purchases above 5,000 US dollars.
What is the value of the contract?
Somaliland Standard reported a total value of 325,000 US dollars, with per-unit prices of 48,000 US dollars per dump truck and 85,000 US dollars for the grader. The number of trucks is not stated.