Puntland defends Bosaso land clearance as urban development plan

Bosaso (HOL) — Puntland authorities announced on Friday that the plan to clear government-owned land and facilities in Bosaso is different from the demolition of public structures currently underway in Mogadishu.

Bosaso District Commissioner Abdirahman Abdullahi Ali said the administration has been implementing a months-long plan to reclaim government-owned sites, some of which he said had been occupied by private individuals for years.

advertisements “The government land is being reclaimed by the state to serve the public interest,” Ali said. “The operations reached the former police headquarters today, with plans to address other government sites in the city in the coming days.”

He said the cleared sites would not be handed back to private individuals or businesspeople but would instead be turned into public spaces as part of efforts to improve Bosaso’s urban appearance and planning.