HIBAPRESS – Ahmed Sabbar
In an exciting political and administrative development that may shake the future of local affairs management in the Ain El Aouda commune, the head of the commune found himself at the heart of a storm of criticism and heavy accusations, after being accused of violating the provisions of Organic Law No. 113.14 related to territorial communities, especially Article 46, after his refusal to respond to a request submitted by the opposition to hold a second session to discuss sensitive files related to the management of local public money.
The communal opposition considered what happened a blatant violation of the law and the principles of good governance, confirming that its request was based on clear legal provisions that guarantee the right of elected officials to monitor and evaluate communal management, but the presidency chose – in its words – a policy of running ahead and obscuring suspicious files. The most prominent points of contention revolve around the file of supporting associations, which has become a source of much controversy within local public opinion, in light of accusations of a lack of transparency and directing support according to the logic of political and electoral loyalties, instead of adopting the criteria of fairness and equal opportunities. However, the most exciting file relates to a road project estimated to cost about two billion centimes, which the opposition says passes over lands belonging to the son-in-law of the head of the commune and some people affiliated with the governing majority, which opens the door wide to suspicions of conflict of interest and exploitation of influence and directing public projects to serve private interests at the expense of the priorities of the population. Identical sources confirmed that this issue is no longer just a political dispute between the majority and the opposition, but has turned into a file submitted before the supervisory and inspection institutions, after official complaints were directed to both the Supreme Audit Court and the General Inspectorate of Territorial Administration, to demand opening an in-depth investigation into the circumstances of the project's programming and support deals, and arranging for possible legal and administrative penalties and responsibilities. This controversy comes in a national context in which pressure is increasing for the creation of public life and linking responsibility with accountability, especially after successive official reports revealed serious imbalances in the management of a number of territorial communities in the Kingdom. Observers believe that what is happening in Ain El Aouda may turn into one of the most prominent political and administrative issues in the region, especially if the investigations prove the existence of exploitation of influence or squandering of public money, which may place the concerned officials before heavy legal and political repercussions during the next stage.
