This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Heba Press – Abdel Latif Baraka
I
In certain urban or rural areas of Morocco, particularly in areas where the demand for administrative documents is high, citizens constantly complain about the lack of control from their offices to the headquarters of the leaders.
This phenomenon is seen as a source of frustration for many who find themselves forced to wait long hours without being able to meet a representative of the local authority, which prevents them from carrying out their administrative tasks.
Well-informed sources confirm to Heba Press that this almost permanent absence of certain men of authority causes files to accumulate on their desks, while the leader remains far from exercising his functions. Many citizens are surprised by the absence of these civil servants, supposed to be at the service of citizens, according to the new conception of authority, which advocates listening to local problems and working to resolve them effectively, far from any form of arrogance or tyranny.
If some leaders are content to stay away from their daily tasks, they continue to manage the affairs of their territorial influence remotely, by telephone and by directing their instructions to the agents of the authority or the successors of the leadership. This situation raises many questions about the role of these civil servants in serving citizens and the extent of their commitment to their functions.
Although the Interior Ministry provides them with functional housing and establishes strict laws regulating their time, including not leaving their territorial influence unless specially authorized, some leaders insist on continuing their constant absences. We also note that they do not hesitate to use agency vehicles for unjustified trips, in order to exhaust their fuel quotas allocated to them by the Ministry of the Interior. In some cases, these officials seek help from collective councils to obtain. additional quantities of fuel under unclear justifications, which raises more controversies over the exploitation of public resources.
This phenomenon constitutes a weakness in local administration and affects citizens’ confidence in administrations. Instead of men of authority being on the ground serving citizens and providing solutions to their daily problems, they often seem immersed in managing their personal affairs outside of their official duties. Questions remain about how to deal with this phenomenon, which is not limited to specific regions, but rather is a global problem that affects many provinces in different regions of Morocco.
At a time when we are talking more and more about the need to reform local administration and improve service to citizens, the most important question remains: can local elected officials change their practices and take on more of responsibilities in light of the social and economic transformations that Morocco is experiencing today.
The same situation is also experienced by citizens with elected officials and civil servants of public administrations, and the situation continues to include the private sector, when the citizen is forced to wait an hour or more for the return of an employee of a bank branch which still has lunch.
