Tangier Residents Outraged by Shoddy Renovation of Historic Square

Major defects appeared following the reopening of this square on Friday, after ten days of work, sparking a wave of criticism from the city’s residents. Some are questioning the conditions of execution and control of this work. For their part, the authorities reassure that the project is not yet definitively completed and that corrections will be made.

A city official explained that the workers on the site took leave at the end of the day on Thursday, June 5, to celebrate Eid al-Adha with their families. To allow Tangier residents to enjoy this square during the Eid holidays, and to ensure the safety of visitors, especially children, the authorities decided to remove the construction barriers and clean it, while waiting for the workers to return and finalize the work.

Local activists have launched a "Citizen Campaign to Monitor Ongoing Work in Tangier". The objective is to detect irregularities and shortcomings in the execution of ongoing public projects in different neighborhoods and to defend the residents’ right to quality, transparency, and accountability.

The quality and aesthetics of Sour Al Maâgazine square after the work leave much to be desired, according to a municipal councilor from the Unified Socialist Party who denounced the lack of transparency in the execution of the project by the prefecture, without the involvement of local elected officials. This opacity in the management of the project has undoubtedly led to this poor quality of renovation work on this very famous square in the city of the strait.