It's pathetic how no majerten responds to this while the non majerten go back n forth thinking they hit some sort of 'diamond field' to prove Puntland is poor. Puntland is the richest state and the proof is clear, it's the state that recieves the least 'foreign aid' out of all Somalia.
Mogadishu and Hargeisa are backed up with foreign aid because they lack economic activity and thus lower revenues on the ground level, Puntland doesn't lack economic activity and can support itself.This is why western nations tell Puntland leaders your region is richer then others so the west will budget support the rest of the nation to keep them afloat!!!!
The reason why people don't get paid in Puntland is because of corruption not because of poverty. It happens always in the last 2 years of the presidency, the president and his cabinet basically start stealing the revenues for themselves so they can enjoy a nice retirement fearing their government term is coming to a close. Notice the unpaid period is the 'last 2 years', everything the army, civil government staff, even ministers and deputies start losing pay in the last 2 years of the government mandate. It's a common thing and called corruption not poverty.
Poverty is Hargeisa where it needs budget support from the western world or Mogadishu who also needs budget support. No-one supports Puntland budget wise, we have been earmarked for 'project' support nothing else, we can run our own house thank you very much. Start abusing the clans who can't and live of western welfare to run their government.
I don't mind if people criticize Puntland on corruption or financial mismanagement this is at least understandable but to criticize Puntland on poverty is stupid or else Puntland would be a welfare state receiving foreign aid like hargeisa and mogadishu. When puntland starts getting welfare payments, that's poverty, all people on welfare are usually poor and if a state is on welfare he is poor also. The only form of welfare puntland gets is 'NGO project investments' nothing else.
No foreign nation pays Puntland government staff, army, police, court officials, government officials, school or health officials when they start to pay them, then you can argue puntland is poor and can't support itself and pay to keep itself afloat. Puntland can keep itself afloat quite well just from the business traffic on the road from beletwayn to bosaso to burco to erigavo.