Rabat — Morocco’s National Authority for the Protection of Public Assets and Transparency (INPBPTM) has filed a formal complaint at the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Rabat.
The watchdog demands an investigation into suspected serious irregularities in managing projects under the National Human Development Initiative (INDH) in El Jadida province, in the Casablanca-Settat region.
The non-governmental organization released a statement citing official reports from the General Inspection of Territorial Administration (IGAT), which operates under the Interior Ministry.
The reports and related documentation reveal signs of public fund misappropriation and conflicts of interest linked to financial and administrative violations in several projects completed between 2019 and 2022.
Missing millions raise red flags
The allocated budget reached MAD 522.5 million ($57.44 million), but actual spending totaled only MAD 269.7 million ($29.65 million).
Investigators suspect invoice falsification and found that one consulting firm dominated most project files.
The authority uncovered multiple violations that paint a troubling picture of financial mismanagement.
Officials granted 2 million ($220,123) to an association for a project that did not qualify for funding and never received approval from the relevant committee. Authorities used INDH funds to cover personal expenses, violating public spending rules.
Meanwhile, twelve funded projects remain blocked due to missing land or technical studies. Officials funded cooperatives and associations that do not comply with legal requirements. The investigation revealed “ghost projects” that exist only on paper.
The authority described these irregularities as “serious violations of public accounting rules and monitoring and evaluation procedures.”
Call for justice
The INPBPTM urges judicial authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to determine responsibility and punish those allegedly involved in the misconduct.
The case signals ongoing challenges in Morocco’s efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in public spending on development projects.
The National Human Development Initiative, launched in 2005, represents one of Morocco’s flagship social development programs aimed at reducing poverty and improving living conditions in rural and urban areas.
This investigation raises questions about oversight mechanisms and the effectiveness of controls designed to prevent such violations.