Afgooye 24 dec -12 (Shabelle)— The government district commissioner in Afgoye, Mr. Abdullaahi Abdi Ahmed Ibey has defended the checkpoint which has recently been returned to the entrance gate of his town as ”merely a tax collection point for the government, not as illegal roadblock.
In an interview with Shabelle, Mr. Ibey told that tax money collected at the checkpoint would used to finance public services in his district.
It was only yesterday when forces from Afgoye district have erected a checkpoint at Bar Ismail which is the entrance point to the agriculturally rich district in lower Shabelle region.
But public transport drivers and the public have decriedover the return of the checkpoint, saying that illegal money is collected there.
The issue of illegal roadblocks has become very hot debate among residents living in the government controlled areas in south and centralSomaliaafter Somali president Hassan Shiekh Mohamud issued a dcree banning all illegal roadblocks in the country.
Roadblock locally known as ‘’Isbaaro’’ is blocking a publich transport with metal and stones and all cars come to stop there and pay extortion fee to militias manning it and public always feel uneasy while crossing such roadblocks as the militias manning are happy triggers and sometimes can be dangerous.
Bar Ismail to the entrence of Afgoye town where the checkpoint is re-installed. Photo: file
Shabelle news desk
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