Mogadishu, Somalia – Somalia’s Finance Minister Elmi Haange has accused Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni of unlawfully seizing control of federal funds and refusing oversight by the Central Bank of Somalia.
In a strongly worded statement, Haange claimed that Puntland’s financial practices were undermining national fiscal integrity, warning that the region’s refusal to submit to Central Bank authority poses “a serious threat to Somalia’s economic unity.”
The allegations come amid Puntland’s continued boycott of the National Consultative Forum in Mogadishu, deepening the rift between the federal government and the semi-autonomous region.
The forum is meant to resolve key national issues including fiscal federalism, elections, and constitutional reforms.
Puntland has not yet officially responded to the finance minister’s remarks. However, its absence from national talks signals growing distrust and escalating tensions between Garowe and Mogadishu.
Observers warn that the dispute could derail progress on Somalia’s state-building agenda unless resolved through dialogue and compromise.