Eyl (Dawan Africa) – On Friday, the Director General of the Puntland Ministry of Finance, Ahmed Jama Jowle, strongly criticized the Federal Government of Somalia, accusing it of deliberately obstructing development projects funded by the World Bank that Puntland is legally entitled to benefit from.
The accusations were made during the inauguration of the new headquarters of the Ministry of Finance in Eyl district. According to Jowle, three major projects that were planned as far back as December 2024 remain stalled, with two of them facing significant delays due to what he described as bureaucratic inaction and politically motivated obstruction by Somalia’s Federal Ministry of Finance.
“Emails we send take one or even two months to receive a response. If Puntland has rejected any project, let them provide proof,” Jowle stated.
The Ministry of Finance further criticized federal officials from Puntland, accusing them of failing to defend the region’s development rights. Some have been alleged to spread false narratives, suggesting that Puntland itself rejected the projects.
The ongoing tensions between Puntland and the Federal Government highlight the deepening rift within Somalia’s federal system, particularly regarding issues of resource sharing and the division of administrative authority between the central government and federal member states. The situation continues to exacerbate a crisis of trust between Puntland and the Federal Government.
