Opposition Official calls on govt to investigate Turkish consulate in Somaliland

A prominent leader of Somaliland opposition calls on the government to investigate the Turkish consulate in Somaliland.

Ali Antar, a member of the leadership of Waddani party, has called on Somaliland government to investigate illicit cash collection by the Turkish consulate in Somaliland.

Speaking to CBA reporter, Ali Antar accused the Turkish consulate in Hargeisa of collecting money from the people of Somaliland without issuing receipts. He alleged that a minister in the federal government of Somalia and a businessman operate this money collection scheme.

I am calling on the government to investigate the money collected by the Turkish embassy without issuing receipts or providing any service which is basically for profiteering.

Ali Antar

Ali Antar told the story of a woman who bought a house in Turkey. When she applied for a visa at the Turkish consulate in Hargeisa, she paid over one thousand dollars but was not issued a receipt. Finally, he said, the woman was denied the visa she was seeking.

In total, I paid eleven hundred dollars. However, I was given a receipt for the payment. The consulate does not issue receipts for payments. Our people are incurring huge losses. Now, the consulate has collected huge sums from the people. It is not issuing receipts or providing services. They will tell you to come back after a month. When I returned to the consulate, they told me the application was rejected without giving any explanation.

Ali Antar

The immigration to Turkey is part of a trend in Somaliland where many people in Somaliland have been investing in the real state market of Turkey to gain residency there.