Audit reports expose ghost 'model markets' and widespread public fund waste in Morocco

A series of inspection reports has revealed serious dysfunction in Morocco’s “model market” projects, which were launched under the National Initiative for Human Development to organize street vendors and support local economies.

Instead of becoming hubs of economic activity, many have turned into abandoned structures, swallowing millions in public funds without fulfilling their purpose, according to sources cited by Hespress AR.

Internal audits led by the Ministry of Interior uncovered extensive mismanagement, construction defects, and signs of corruption in several markets, with the worst cases reported in the Casablanca-Settat, Marrakech-Safi, and Rabat-Salé-Kénitra regions.

Some engineering firms and contractors are now facing potential legal action for suspected fraud, inflated invoices, and failure to complete construction.

Among the most alarming findings are markets that have never opened their doors, despite consuming significant state budgets. Inspectors have blamed both former and current local officials, accusing them of either negligence or active collusion in what is now being described as a major waste of public money.

In cities like Salé, Kenitra, and Marrakesh, the Ministry has ordered deeper audits amid mounting complaints about poor management and suspicious financial practices.

Several recently appointed provincial governors have already dismissed heads of local social affairs departments following signs of mismanagement or collusion with contractors.

Audit reports also criticized local authorities for allowing some markets to remain shuttered for years while study offices collected hefty fees for incomplete or substandard work.

Lists of implicated engineering firms and municipal officials have been compiled as part of an expanding investigation that targets both current and former mayors accused of profiting from a royal initiative intended to support vulnerable populations.

Even operational markets are plagued by dysfunction. A lack of vendor training and weak enforcement of regulations have resulted in disorderly conditions.

Some informal sellers abandoned the facilities to return to nearby streets, undermining the project’s goal, while others made illegal modifications, blocked walkways, and created unsanitary conditions that drove customers away.

With public frustration growing, the Ministry of Interior has given the green light for a wider crackdown, signaling that accountability for Morocco’s failed “model market” experiment could soon reach higher levels of local governance.