Somalia's fishery and marine resources minister has asked the United Nations Food agency WFP to distribute thousands of tons of food aid held in warehouses to the devastated population in the restive Mogadishu.

Porf. Abdurahman Haji Aden Ibbi, who is also deputy prime minister told reporters in Mogadishu that he met with representatives from the world food programme to discuss the issue late Wednesday and was told that the Somali government wants the food to be suddenly distributed to the vulnerable people.

“We have issued an order that WFP shall distribute the food in the warehouse to the needy population in Mogadishu and its environs,” said Ibbi.

“We can not accept the fact that WFP has food in its warehouses while the displaced populations in need of aid are languishing in the outskirts of Mogadishu,” he added.

On the other hand, the minister said the government will scrutinize the foreign aid agencies that are tasked to delivery humanitarian assistance to the population.

In January, the world food agency was forced to suspend all its operations in large areas of south Somalia after reporting harassment and extortion from the Islamist groups.

However, it is still delivers food aid in government-controlled areas of north including the capital Mogadishu.

The United Nations estimates that at least 3.5 million people, nearly half of Somalia's population is in need of an emergency humanitarian assistance because of poverty, years of civil wars and severe draughts.

GAROWE ONLINE