فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
The Chamber of Traditional Crafts of the Fès-Meknès region issued an official statement on its social media platforms, addressing and denying a number of misleading reports circulated by some websites concerning the approval of a partnership agreement to establish a clay processing plant in the Benguilek area of Fès.
The statement described these allegations as “lies” aimed at disrupting the developmental programs launched by the Chamber in support of local artisans, attributing the misinformation to politically motivated parties with narrow agendas.
In an official meeting held at the Chamber’s headquarters on Friday, July 11, 2025, attended by members of the Pottery Masters Cooperative and the Benguilek Traditional Zellige Cooperative, Mr. Naji Fakhari, the Chamber President, presented a detailed rebuttal of the accusations alleging “conflict of interest” or “abuse of office” in the signing of the agreement.
Mr. Fakhari emphasized that the clay processing plant project is the result of an institutional partnership between:
- The State Secretariat in charge of Traditional Crafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy
- The Wilaya (regional authority) of Fès-Meknès
- Fès-Meknès Development Company
- Benguilek Zellige Cooperative
- Pottery Masters Cooperative
- The Chamber of Traditional Crafts
He stressed that the project responds to urgent professional demands from artisans who have long sought to improve the quality of traditional Moroccan clay by removing impurities, thereby enhancing production quality, increasing income, and preserving the prestigious image of Moroccan zellige as a noble cultural and human heritage.
Mr. Fakhari also noted that:
- The Pottery Cooperative allocated a plot of land for the project and will contribute 2 million MAD in cash, in addition to the land and quarry.
- The Zellige Cooperative managed to purchase land to establish a clay quarry thanks to the self-contributions of its members.
The statement concluded by expressing high appreciation from both cooperatives for the pivotal roles played by the State Secretariat, the Wilaya of Fès-Meknès, and the Chamber of Traditional Crafts in bringing this project to fruition, affirming that this kind of institutional solidarity reflects a true spirit of cooperation in service of traditional craftsmen in the region.
