“ Nepotism” mars VOA Somali Service

Washington, October 5 (Somali Press Review)—The work of the Voice of America Somali Service is being affected by nepotism, according to a report published in the Somali website mudugonile.com
The report coincides with the recruitment of Abdullahi Nur ( aka Colombo ) by the VOA Somali Service. The report alleges that "Abdullahi Colombo has taken a standard VAO test at the time Fred Cooper was the head of Somali section of VOA. Fred assigned the test to be marked by a staff member with secret number given on his test paper. Abdullahi Colombo failed the test to the lowest grade.” Another new recrurit, "Ibrahim Hassan Dandurey, has failed the standard test taken by Nagusa Mengesh deputy director of African division in Toronto and still Yabarow helped him out to get around the process by assigning him stringer level from Toronto and, later hired him full time contract.” It is also alleged that Abdirahman Yabarow the editor in chief of VOA Somali Service assessed the test of Idil Osman unfairly, leading Fred Cooper, former VOA Somali Service Chief to assign “non staff member to correct the test again, the findings was stunning. She scored the highest grade.” Allegations about nepotism will have impact on the morale of the staff at Somali Service if the VOA Africa Service management does not investigate the matter,” says a Somali media analyst in London. The VOA Somali Service was launched in February last year. The Somali Service editor was not available to comment on the nepotism allegations.

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