HIBAPRESS – Abdellatif Baraka
The beginning of the Regional Multi-Service Company Souss Massa's operations in Agadir did not pass in a normal atmosphere, as it was quickly accompanied by indicators of tension on more than one level, which were monitored by associative, professional, and human rights bodies, against the backdrop of what was considered imbalances in management and the company's relationship with its professional and social environment.
The damage suffered by the residents of a number of neighborhoods in the city of Agadir, due to the unjustified delay in conducting inspections related to customer files and not setting their appointments within reasonable deadlines, brought to the forefront the issue of the regional company's management of its relations with various stakeholders, including certified electricians affiliated with the Union of Electricians of Tadarart Anza in Agadir. The professional association had presented to the company's management a number of difficulties faced by its members, especially with some employees of the technical department and the customer relations department. However, these complaints, according to the association, were met with provocative methods, which prompted it to send a complaint on the matter to the concerned authorities. Tension escalated after the company's management issued a decision to suspend the president of the association's accreditation for six months, a decision that the person concerned described, in a letter addressed to the Wali of the region, as "arbitrary and retaliatory suspension," considering that it embodies an abuse of power, especially because it did not take into account, according to his expression, the complaint that he submitted as a "victim of a retaliatory attack." In this context, the electricians' association called on the company's officials to understand the pivotal role played by certified electricians in ensuring the smooth functioning of this vital facility, and to interact positively with the legitimate demands of their professional institutions, instead of resorting to suspension decisions without relying on the standards and conditions stipulated in the commitment contract linking professionals and the company. This tension comes in a context characterized by the growing discontent of large segments of the region's population, due to what they described as "rocket" increases in monthly bills for domestic electricity consumption since the regional company took over the management of this sector, which doubles the intensity of the debate about the performance of this institution and its social repercussions.
