Puntland has rejected the recent announcement by Somali Petroleum Authority (SPA) on licensing extension.
Recently, SPA announced that it would be extending the timelines for the licensing of hydrocarbons.
The past two years have witnessed an increased quest for the control of mineral resources and prospects all over the country.
The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) has been at loggerheads with the Federal Member States (FMS) over this issue.
According to the regional states, Mogadishu is intent on reducing their share of the revenue from mineral resources.
SPA issued the notice regarding the timelines extension on June 29, 2021.
On July 6, Ahmed Mohamed, Puntland’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources issued a statement announcing the region’s rejection of the extension.
Mohamed said that the northern state has several issues, which Mogadishu must not only handle but also solve expeditiously first.
Further, his protest letter also took issue with the absence of any official representative from the Puntland administration.