Auditor General Orders Stop to Construction on Public Land

On 21 May 2023, Mustaqbal Media reported that Somalia's Auditor General ordered a halt to construction flagged as illegal at the old Somali Cooperative Center in Warta Nabad District, Mogadishu. The report, based on a letter from the National Audit Office, said the office had "discovered illegal construction on government land and is being built by private individuals, which is in the center of Somali cooperatives."

The order, signed by Auditor General Ahmed Gutale, was addressed to the police and all relevant government agencies, according to the report. It instructed unnamed individuals "to immediately stop the illegal construction that is going on at the former Center of Somali Cooperation in Warta Nabada District, particularly in the Barwaago department."

Mustaqbal Media noted that the construction was ongoing at the time of the order. The report did not name the private developer or individuals involved, nor did it provide details on the construction's size, cost, or funding. No information was given about permits or contracts.

The report does not establish what happened after the order was issued. It does not confirm whether construction actually stopped, whether the developer complied, or whether any enforcement action was taken. No update on legal proceedings or reactions from the developer was included.

The district name appears with two spellings: "Warta Nabad" and "Warta Nabada." The report does not clarify which is correct.