Leaked reports from Morocco’s General Inspectorate of Territorial Administration (IGAT) have revealed serious allegations of irregularities in the issuance of building permits by local council presidents in the Casablanca-Settat and Marrakech-Safi regions, potentially leading to their dismissal and prosecution before financial crimes courts.
According to sources who spoke to Hespress AR, the investigations—initiated following recent territorial appointments—point to several mayors allegedly issuing construction permits without collecting the mandatory fees or notifying the relevant urban agencies and local authorities. In some cases, farmland was illegally converted into residential or tourism developments.
The inspection reports reportedly include cases from municipalities in the Berrechid Province where wide stretches of agricultural land were reclassified using sequentially numbered documents that bypassed oversight from urban planning authorities. Officials are also accused of issuing “administrative authorizations” that were not registered with the Interior Ministry, in an attempt to sidestep legal requirements and exceed their official powers.
Elected officials, local leaders, and auxiliary authorities are suspected of complicity in issuing these unauthorized certificates. The “administrative authorizations,” according to the reports, were often used to evade legal procedures for land registration, which under current anti-illegal construction regulations, require the provincial governor’s signature following an investigation by local authorities.
The reports also highlight other suspicious practices, such as backdating permits and distributing pre-signed authorizations ready for immediate use. These actions, investigators say, violate national urban planning laws and reflect a pattern of unilateral decision-making by some municipal leaders without consulting legally mandated bodies.
The Interior Ministry had previously warned municipal officials about issuing building permits outside the legal framework, stressing the need for coordination with urban agencies and provincial authorities. It also cautioned against any tolerance for overreach or misuse of authority in such matters.
Legal Proceedings Underway
In recent months, regional governors and prefects have filed motions with administrative courts to dismiss certain mayors based on findings from IGAT audits. These legal actions are grounded in Article 64 of Organic Law No. 113.14 governing local councils, which authorizes territorial administration to request written explanations from council members suspected of violating laws. If no response is provided within 10 days, or if the response is deemed unsatisfactory, the case can be referred to the administrative court, which must rule on dismissal within one month.
The unfolding investigations could result in the removal of both current and former council leaders found to have issued permits without adhering to proper procedures, marking a significant step in Morocco’s broader crackdown on urban planning violations and corruption in local governance.
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