Somalia: Any unilateral amendment widens rift-Puntland warns

GAROWE, Puntland-Puntland government in northern Somalia has upped the ante of rift regarding Provisional Federal Constitution (PFC), on Saturday calling on Mogadishu-based federal government to refrain from any move inconsistent with regional consents, Garowe Online reports.

Reacting to reports of further amendments to be made to the federal charter, Puntland said, such tempering without prior agreements could leave the prevailing differences rapturous.

“Puntland cabinet underlined that the constitution is societal agreement, henceforth Puntland sees work on the constitution by the federal parliament as an action that would further deteriorate previous differences,” presidential spokesman, Abdullahi Mohamed Jama said in a press statement.

The northeastern state urged UN-backed national government to show off respect for the country’s federalism principles.

The weekly cabinet meeting chaired by the Vice President, Abdihakin Abdullahi Haji Omar has also focused on security, ravaging drought in some parts of Puntland and briefings by Environment, Health and Women ministries.

Puntland relations with Mogadishu have been wavering over 2016 electoral transition and the provisional constitution containing clauses and articles that were tampered with.

GAROWEONLINE