55 traffic police officers from the Somali Police Force, have concluded an intensive Training of Trainers course on traffic management, to enhance their capacity to manage traffic flow and ensure safety on public roads. 

Facilitated by the police component of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), the two-weeks training was held simultaneously in the capital Mogadishu, Jowhar in Hirshabelle State, Baidoa in Southwest State and Kismayo in Jubaland State. 

Speaking during the official closing ceremony at the Gen. Kahiye Police Academy in Mogadishu, ATMIS Police Commissioner, CP Hillary Sao Kanu urged the officers to share the knowledge acquired to enhance service delivery. 

“I believe the participants have gained a lot of knowledge and experience. I want to encourage all of you to take this programme seriously. You should not keep the knowledge acquired to yourselves but impart it to others who were not fortunate to be part of this programme,” she said. 

The Somalia deputy Police Commissioner, Brig. Gen. Osman Abdullahi Mohamed hailed the trainees for completing the training. He said it will help to transform traffic management in Somalia’s cities. 

“Our roads in Somalia experience traffic gridlock. The skills and knowledge you have acquired will enable you to manage traffic and ensure safety on our roads,” said Gen. Osman. 

The training covered several topics including, the duties of traffic officers, road safety measures, common traffic offences and causes of accidents, rights of road users, and investigation of accidents. 

In Jubaland State, the training was held at the Lower Jubba Police Headquarters in Kismayo town. This was to enhance the capacity of the State’s traffic police officers as the port city prepares to open new roads to cope with the increased traffic. 

One of the participants, Mohamed Aqil Abdullahi, expressed appreciation to ATMIS for the opportunity and emphasised the advantages of the training. 

“Since new roads are expected to open and others are being constructed, the state and ATMIS thought it was appropriate for us to enroll in this course. We have maximised its benefits. We learned how to respond to accidents while staying safe and conducting investigations,” he stated. 

In Jowhar, Abdullahi Mohamed Osman, who was one of the 10 participants called for the development of a cadre of professional traffic officers to manage the increase in road traffic in Jowhar and other cities. 

“This is my first time to attend traffic management training and I have gained valuable skills. I hope we undergo more training to sharpen our knowledge and skills,” said Abdullahi. 

According to ATMIS police Training and Development coordinator ACP Samuel Asiedu Okanta, the capacity building training is part of the ongoing preparations to hand over security responsibilities to the Somali security forces.