Garowe (PP News Desk) — The Mayor of Garowe Ahmed Said Musse sent a stern warning to Puntland MPs and senior officials who do not pay the annual tax they owe Puntland State government.
Mr Musse explained why the local government resorts to removing doors of houses belonging to officials who have failed to pay annual tax liabilities on time. “Parliamentary immunity protects MPs against arrest. Officials who fail to pay taxes are criticise the local government. We will sue senior officials who refuse to pay taxes” said Musse.
Asked if the local government removed doors of houses owned by poor people, Garowe Mayor said that “the poor people pay taxes regularly because they live in small houses.”
Last month Mohammed Ahmed Haraf, an MP, accused Garowe local government of leniency towards criminals. “The job of Garowe Local Government is now confined to collecting house tax. They remove doors and gates of properties whose owners either had not paid tax or are not in town, and make it easier for burglars to break into houses” Haraf wrote.
Locals criticise Garowe Municipality for bending the rules when enforcing tax collection against citizens whom the local government accuses of not paying to annual taxes.
“Why sue MPs and senior officials for not paying taxes when you can remove doors of property owners for unpaid taxes?” asks a Garowe-based former civil servant.
Power struggle between the Mayor of Garowe and local MPs highlights the barriers to the progress towards a rule-based governance in Puntland State.
© Puntland Post, 2020
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