GALKAYO – Municipal forces in Galkayo have shut down the district headquarters in protest over months of unpaid salaries, barring administrative staff from entering the offices and bringing local services to a standstill.
The closure has disrupted essential public services, leaving sanitation workers and other municipal staff unable to perform their duties.
The latest protest comes amid widespread complaints across Puntland, where both security forces and civil servants have repeatedly raised concerns over irregular salary payments. On Sunday, Puntland’s finance minister insisted that all employees and security personnel were receiving their entitlements regularly—a claim disputed by those on the ground.
Speaking to local media, officers from the Galkayo municipal force said the salary delays had severely impacted their livelihoods and families, making it impossible for them to continue fulfilling their responsibilities without pay.
The standoff has heightened tensions, with growing calls for Puntland’s leadership to address the grievances of municipal forces and civil servants to prevent further disruption of vital community services.
