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Puntland lawmakers accuse Somali Federal Government of blocking development projects
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    Tuesday August 20, 2024

    Garowe (HOL) — Several lawmakers elected from Puntland have reiterated accusations that the Somali Federal Government is obstructing development projects and withholding international grants intended for Puntland State.

    In a press release issued Tuesday, the federal parliamentarians condemned what they described as a "collective punishment" policy that deprives Puntland of essential services and equitable development opportunities.

    The lawmakers called for the immediate release of all development projects and international funds, emphasizing that these resources are vital for Puntland's economic infrastructure, education, health, water, electricity, and fisheries sectors. They argued that such projects should not be used as political leverage and stressed their importance for the well-being of the people in the region.

    Deputy Minister of Finance Abdiqafar Elmi Hange recently confirmed that the federal government disbursed $6 million to Puntland. However, Puntland's State Minister of Information, Mohamud Eidid Dirir, stated that the funds came from the World Bank following a request for budget support and were unrelated to federal government funds.

    Minister Dirir accused the Federal Government of deliberately blocking millions of dollars allocated for various projects in Puntland, asserting that the central government insists on managing these projects from Mogadishu. This, he claimed, is the root cause of the ongoing conflict between Puntland and the federal government.

    In April, Minister Hange accused Puntland's leader, Said Abdullahi Deni, of obstructing several critical projects, including the national teachers' salary project, the Damal Health project, the Barwaaqo project (formerly known as Biyole), the budget subsidy project, and the Energy and Electricity project. Hange noted that these projects were pending Puntland's signature to proceed.

    Tensions between Puntland and the Federal Government of Somalia have been particularly high since Deni's unsuccessful bid for the Somali Prime Ministership, according to Minister Hange.

     





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