فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
The General Inspectorate of Territorial Administration, led by Governor Mohamed Fawzi, is conducting a series of shuttle visits to several provinces and prefectures across Morocco to investigate suspicions of corruption related to public contracts. These tours began in the prefectures of Sidi Kacem and Chefchaouen, with plans to later include other provinces that have experienced governor rotations, such as Al Hoceima, Azilal, Zagora, Fahs Anjra, Taza, and Taounate. These moves come as part of the Ministry of Interior’s efforts to strengthen good governance and fight corruption, responding to reports that revealed violations in the management of public contracts.
Objectives of the Inspection Visits
The visits focus on hearing testimonies from heads of public contracts departments and technical divisions in provinces and prefectures where allegations have surfaced about some officials’ involvement in illegal practices. The main goals include:
- Auditing contract management: Verifying adherence to transparency and fair competition principles in awarding public contracts.
- Detecting abuses: Investigating suspicions of manipulation and collusion with contractors to favor certain companies for personal gain.
- Enhancing governance: Ensuring the application of transparency and equality principles, in line with royal directives and policy-makers’ speeches emphasizing anti-corruption.
Details of the Investigations
According to informed sources in the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region’s prefecture, a senior official in the public contracts department was urgently summoned for questioning, with expectations to expand investigations to include a veteran engineer in the technical division, known for allocating kickbacks to contractors to ease their contract acquisitions. Previous reports published by Assabah newspaper revealed illegal contract awarding mechanisms, prompting the Ministry of Interior’s central administration to request clarifications from the concerned prefecture.
In Sidi Kacem prefecture, investigations uncovered collusion between some employees and “favored” companies that secured most contracts, leading to the dismissal of a prominent department head closely linked to a former governor who was removed. Information indicates that these abuses involved contracts under the National Initiative for Human Development, originally meant to improve living conditions in poor areas but turned into a source of illicit profit.
Context of Corruption in Provinces
Reports show that some provinces, especially those still facing shantytown settlements, have witnessed proliferating contract scandals following the dismissal of former governors who controlled contract allocations. In one province, sources revealed a department head abused his position to exclude contractors who refused to comply with his demands, with cases filed to the Ministry of Interior supported by solid evidence.
Reactions and Expectations
These visits are part of a broader Ministry of Interior strategy to purge corruption from provinces, especially under royal mandates emphasizing good governance. Investigations are expected to result in strict measures, potentially including dismissals or judicial referrals of involved officials. These steps should strengthen trust in territorial administration, especially in provinces that recently appointed new governors.
Recommendations
To ensure sustainable efforts, the following are recommended:
- Enhance transparency: Establish digital platforms to publish public contract details, enabling citizen and civil society oversight.
- Staff training: Organize training courses on good governance and anti-corruption for provincial officials.
- Activate control mechanisms: Empower the General Inspectorate with broader authorities for immediate anti-corruption investigations.
Conclusion
The General Inspectorate of Territorial Administration’s inspection tours represent a decisive step toward combating corruption in public contracts, reinforcing good governance principles and restoring confidence in territorial administration. For updates, it is advisable to consult official Ministry of Interior reports or reputable media outlets.
