Moroccan Watchdog Group Demands Crackdown on Officials’ Misuse of State Vehicles

These vehicles made available to the persons concerned must be used in the exercise of their functions. However, it is not uncommon to see these officials making private trips with their company vehicles, denounces the president of the Moroccan association for the protection of public property, Mohamed El Ghalloussi, criticizing the abusive use of these state vehicles during the summer holidays and on the occasion of various festivities (weddings, festivals, funerals).

El Ghalloussi recalled that the fuel and repair costs of these cars are borne by the State and that consequently, they should be used exclusively within the framework of the exercise of the functions of the elected officials and civil servants. According to him, the use of this public property for personal purposes is unacceptable and reflects the persistence of corruption in the Moroccan public administration.

The association president says he does not understand the stance of the Ministry of the Interior, which "is content, in the face of the worsening of the rent, to write circulars in a language of exhortation, as if it simply wanted to decline its responsibility, when everyone knows that it is responsible for the continuation of this chaos. And of course it could stop this practice contrary to the law and the ethics of the public service if it wanted to."

Through the voice of its president, the association calls on the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, and the Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, to take firm action against the officials who make abusive use of their company vehicles in order to put an end to this phenomenon.