By Sami Zaptia.
London, 17 April 2016:
Even though it must await the approval of the HoR, the Presidency Council is starting the . . .[restrict]takeover of ministries.
As he stood alongside UNSMIL chief Martin Kobler, deputy prime minister-designate Ahmed Maetig said today that initially six ministries had been earmarked for the process. The first three, housing, social affairs and youth and sports will be taken under the wing of the Government of National Accord tomorrow.
It is understood the ministries of interior and foreign affairs will be among the next to receive GNA officers. It is unclear if the designated ministers will actually move into their offices. One person close to the arrangements said that there were official seals to be secured, documentation to be completed, as well as all-important security arrangements. In this respect, one of the challenges is that ministries are widely spread over the capital and fall within the ambit of different armed groups.
Until now the PC/GNA’s authority has extended little further than the militias that protect it and the Central Bank of Libya and the capital’s municipalities which have recognised it.
Indeed, other than the stage-managed downtown walkabout after his visit to the Mezran mosque for Friday prayers on his first weekend back in Tripoli, prime minister-designate Faiez Serraj and his PC colleagues are not known to have ventured outside their HQ in the Bu Sitta naval base. [/restrict]
