Hundreds of port workers in the Somalia’s restive capital have staged demonstrations against closure of the port activities over dispute between Somali government and the business community, workers and officials said.

The port’s closure came after businessmen refused to adhere to new government-imposed rules that require all incoming items to go through security checks, saying their goods could be destroyed by port bombardment from Islamist insurgents or bad weather.

The furious workers said they were dependent on the work in the port and would impact on their lives.

“We are opposing the decision to close the port.    It must be reopened because we are dependent,” these are some of the phrases used by the workers to express their resentment.

However, Somalia’s Treasury Minister Abdirahman Omar Osman maintained that trader should pay   the proper taxes to allow their goods to be proceed, underscoring that these steps are government procedures which business community should comply.

Mogadishu port, which reopened in 2006 after suffering 15 years of neglect, is now operational and guarded by African Union peacekeepers deployed in the war-torn nation as part of international backed peace mission.

GAROWE ONLINE