فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Fez – Recent leaks from reports by judges of the Regional Audit Councils, the King’s prosecutors, and territorial administration inspectors have sparked widespread controversy in the Fez-Meknes region, where serious financial and administrative irregularities have been identified in the management of several territorial communities, particularly in Taza province and Meknes city. These leaks come in the context of an intensive oversight campaign launched by competent authorities to monitor public funds, with a focus on transparency and integrity in local administration.
Main Irregularities Discovered
According to circulating sources, the main observations include:
- Control of interest networks over management: Reports from the Fez-Meknes region revealed the control of influential networks including real estate developers and investors over communal council affairs, through indirect contracts and exploitation of public property, leading to clear conflicts of interest.
- Violations in tenders and contracts: Cases were recorded of missing legal documents, violations in appointing envelope-opening committees, and depriving competitors of notification, with cover-up attempts through poor file keeping and absence of General Treasury representatives. Community presidents were also involved in establishing companies in relatives’ names to pass contracts without competition, while removing competitors through artificial conditions.
- In Taza province: A committee from the Regional Audit Council visited Ibarahne community headed by Nofal Chabbat, to examine accounts and management, focusing on the administrative and financial situation, and drafting a literary report identifying potential irregularities before final approval. The report is expected to include observations on licensing files and real estate exploitation.
- In Meknes: The General Inspectorate of Territorial Administration conducted an audit for years 2021 and 2022, revealing serious irregularities in financial resource collection, leading to significant financial losses that could have been directed toward development and infrastructure. This led to filing an official complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office on charges of embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds.
- Exploitation of quarries and property: Reports identified deficiencies in settling rental arrears, termination of lease contracts for beneficiaries in conflict of interest (elected officials and employees), and manipulation of exploitation fees, harming communities’ financial resources.
Judicial and Oversight Measures
Public Prosecutor President Hicham Bellaoui issued strict instructions to refer all reports containing criminal irregularities to the Regional Judicial Police Brigade in Fez, in addition to national brigades and the Royal Gendarmerie, to investigate the extent of officials’ involvement. The regional brigade in Fez has also begun investigations into public affairs management irregularities in Meknes, focusing on proximity services and development.
Civil activists are calling for provincial governors to take action to expose violations in Taza and Taounate provinces and others, noting that the Group of Communities for Cooperation has become a “fertile farm” for squandering public funds through order notes without tenders.
This accounting earthquake is a step toward enhancing governance in local administration, with expectations of disciplinary measures including suspension of community presidents’ duties and referring their files to administrative courts, in line with Royal Directives to preserve public funds.
