Galkayo (WDN) — The Puntland Government has ordered people occupying government-owned land and buildings to vacate the properties and make alternative housing arrangements, as the administration moves to reclaim and protect public assets intended for government institutions and essential public services.

Puntland Minister of Public Works, Transport and Housing Farah Awad made the announcement on Wednesday in Galkayo, saying the government had completed a comprehensive inventory of vacant government land and public buildings across Puntland.

According to the minister, the properties have been formally surveyed and their locations recorded using GPS technology, creating a centralized record of government-owned assets and their exact locations. Farah said the government would soon present the inventory to the Puntland Cabinet, which is expected to review the properties and establish a legal framework governing their protection, management and future use.

The minister stressed that government land and buildings are public assets, not private property, and are reserved for institutions that provide services to citizens. He warned that individuals would not be permitted to occupy, settle on or otherwise appropriate government-owned land without legal authorization.

The move is expected to form part of a broader effort by the Puntland administration to strengthen the management of public property, prevent illegal occupation and ensure that government institutions have adequate land and facilities from which to deliver essential services. Nevertheless, any government claim over public assets should be pursued through proper legal and institutional procedures, particularly amid continuing concerns over the illegal appropriation and transfer of public land in Mogadishu during President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration.

In many parts of Puntland, government-owned properties have historically faced pressure from informal settlement, private occupation and competing claims of ownership. Such disputes can make it difficult for the government to expand schools, hospitals, administrative offices, security facilities and other public infrastructure.

By documenting government properties through a formal inventory and GPS mapping, the administration appears to be seeking to establish a clearer record of public ownership and reduce future disputes.

Minister Farah urged those currently occupying government-owned land and buildings to vacate the properties promptly and make alternative arrangements for accommodation, stressing that the government would not accept further unauthorized settlement on public land.

The issue is likely to be particularly important in rapidly growing cities such as Galkayo, Garowe and Bosaso, where demand for land is increasing while government institutions require additional space to expand public services.

The minister’s announcement also places greater emphasis on the principle that government property ultimately belongs to the public and should be preserved for public purposes.

Once the inventory is presented to the Cabinet and the proposed regulations are adopted, Puntland will face the more difficult task of enforcing the new framework fairly and transparently.

For the administration, however, the message is clear: government land and buildings are public assets intended to serve the public, and unauthorized occupation will no longer be treated as an acceptable use of state property.

WardheerNews