HIBAPRESS – Fes Office
Despite the years that have passed since the three ruling parties took over local affairs in the Ifrane province, the field results raise more than one question mark about the feasibility of the programs and commitments promised to citizens during the election campaigns.
Since the beginning of the term, there have been great slogans about "developmental take-off", "improving infrastructure", and "moving the wheel of investment", but today's reality tells a completely different story. Many projects that were announced in meetings and forums remained ink on paper, while some promises turned into mere propaganda images on social media pages. Local sources indicate that most interventions have remained seasonal and selective, lacking a coordinated vision between the elected councils, which has made the region experience a kind of developmental isolation compared to some regions of the region. With the exception of some patchwork reforms in roads or public spaces, no major initiatives have been recorded that would make the expected difference. And until now, no real project has been paid for by the ruling parties or the Fes-Meknes regional council for the benefit of the Ifrane province, as these parties were content with false promises that did not materialize on the ground. Ifrane has not benefited from any governmental or regional program from the region that is able to create development or improve living indicators, despite all the plans and initiatives that have been promoted. In contrast, we find that the tangible achievements on the ground came thanks to the interventions of the province's prefecture, whether in the era of the former or current governor, especially within the framework of the National Initiative for Human Development, which has succeeded in launching social and developmental projects that overshadowed the weak performance of the ruling parties. The population, which is known for its movement affiliation, also praises the efforts made by its elected officials in the rural and urban worlds, for what they have offered in terms of realistic initiatives that have touched the needs of citizens, even though the party is in the government opposition. In contrast, observers believe that the main reason lies in the lack of harmony between the representatives of the parties within the councils, and the weak coordination with the regional interests and the relevant ministries. Each party works with the logic of narrow political calculations, while the citizen pays the price of this conflict in the form of project delays and the freezing of investments. As for the population, they have begun to look with suspicion at every new electoral speech, after discovering that most of the announced programs were mere ephemeral electoral promises, without any actual effect on the level of employment, services or infrastructure. Today, the Ifrani street bitterly asks: Where are the projects promised by the ruling parties? And when will the political speeches turn into real achievements that change the face of the region?
