Nearly two years after the Al Haouz earthquake, families in the Souss-Massa and Marrakesh-Safi regions are receiving housing permits for their new homes. This is for houses that are complete, and the process will continue for those still under construction.
Issuing these permits has involved close coordination between local councils and authorities in the affected areas, who carefully reviewed all technical details of the new homes, some of which measure up to 70 square meters.
Alhussein Bourahim, head of the Tinzert commune in Taroudant province, told Hespress AR that “things are finally moving in the right direction compared to how they were two years ago.”
“We have about 120 families affected in our area. Just last week, we handed out 83 housing permits and expect to issue the rest in the coming weeks since some houses are still being built,” said Bourahim.
He added that the commune and local authorities have been closely involved in the rebuilding process, overseeing every detail, especially the contracts between families and contractors.
Radouane Al Maghrani, head of the Ounain commune from the same province, reported that 787 building permits have been issued. About 70% of homes there are finished, with the remaining 30% still under construction or waiting to start.
Maghrani told Hespress AR that they have “settled the situation of many who were living in tents, replacing them with temporary homes, especially for those in villages unsuitable for rebuilding. The goal is to find a complete and permanent solution for them.”
He acknowledged some delays in processing certain files, particularly for citizens who recently received support, but emphasized that “things are improving and moving toward a final resolution.”
Abdelkarim Ait Moubarak, head of the Aghbar commune, said that “around 950 families have benefited from rebuilding support. Around 70% of construction work is complete, with about 16 families still waiting to start building. Some families have already been given the green light to move into their new homes.”
He told Hespress AR that “the issue will be finished in the next few months, after going through several steps from inspecting damaged buildings and recording owners to issuing building and occupancy permits in cooperation with engineers and contractors.”
Ibrahim Kouchek, head of the Aghwatim commune in the Al Haouz province, also confirmed to Hespress AR that the rebuilding effort is progressing well.
“Most affected families have received government aid, though some haven’t started construction yet despite receiving initial funds, mainly due to labor shortages,” he emphasized.
In July, the interministerial committee overseeing the earthquake recovery reported that construction was completed on around 46,650 homes, reducing the number of tents to just 47.
But local activists and community groups doubted the numbers, saying the official figures don’t match what they see on the ground.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.