Reconstruction in Iraq... patchwork operations leading to the collapse of infrastructure?

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[size=52]Reconstruction in Iraq... patchwork operations leading to the collapse of infrastructure?[/size]

[size=45]Ali Al-Hamdani[/size]
[size=45]Observers believe that the reconstruction projects taking place in the country are “patchwork campaigns” as they are limited to “superficial and temporary operations” without contributing to developing and upgrading the infrastructure. Indeed, some of them, instead of resolving a crisis, cause the emergence of other problems that have reinforced the decline of the infrastructure. Infrastructure, this is due to “the spread of corruption and exploitation of public funds in government institutions,” especially in the field of roads, they said.[/size]
[size=45]One tour of the streets and highways in various regions of the country reveals the extent of the continuous suffering that road drivers face, from the deterioration of their infrastructure resulting from the “lack of maintenance” for those streets, and despite the budgets spent annually on road maintenance, drivers have not seen any change. Real in most streets.[/size]
[size=45]Delays and losses[/size]
[size=45]In this context, the driver of a bus for transporting children, Safaa Muhammad (32 years old) from Baghdad, like many drivers, expresses his dissatisfaction with “the deterioration of most of the internal streets of the capital, some of which are full of potholes due to lack of maintenance, while these are turning into After every rain in the winter, the streets turn into lakes and swamps that cannot be passed through to take the children to their schools.”[/size]
[size=45]Muhammad added to (Al-Mada) that “these difficulties sometimes cause delays in the arrival of students to school, in addition to material losses as a result of damage to the car due to deteriorating roads,” calling for “modifying the infrastructure of the roads, and holding accountable those responsible for this ongoing suffering.” .[/size]
[size=45]Promotional campaigns[/size]
[size=45]For his part, the researcher in administrative and economic affairs, Omar Al-Halbousi, believes that “reconstruction operations are taking place in a patchwork manner, which makes them useless, or with limited benefit that does not contribute to achieving sufficient success, in addition to not adding anything to the infrastructure, but rather is limited to superficial, patchwork, temporary operations.” “It does not have any positive impact in the medium and long term.” Al-Halbousi confirmed during his interview with Al-Mada that, “As a result of this, the infrastructure is declining and collapsing, which has turned Iraq into an environment lacking optimal services, and despite the funds allocated to develop it, on the ground there is nothing tangible.”[/size]
[size=45]He continues, “Rather, reconstruction campaigns have become a gateway to corruption and a waste of money without achieving public benefit, as these patchwork campaigns come deliberately to maintain deteriorating infrastructure that corrupt people exploit to steal public money.”[/size]
[size=45]He explains this theft by saying: “This is through patchwork projects that have become widely prevalent, due to partisan quotas and economic gains that use state institutions as a means of making a living and maximizing their financial empire, by stealing funds from fictitious projects or patchwork projects in inflated amounts.” Accordingly, Al-Halbousi concludes his speech, “It is likely that the reconstruction campaigns will remain merely a formal form and temporary solutions without contributing to the development and improvement of infrastructure. In addition, some of these campaigns do not solve a crisis or problem, but rather complicate it and lead to the emergence of other problems that reinforce the decline of the infrastructure.” Infrastructure, this is due to the spread of corruption and exploitation of public money in government institutions.”[/size]
[size=45]Resolving complexities[/size]
[size=45]In turn, the spokesman for the Ministry of Construction and Housing, Istabraq Sabah, explains that “infrastructure is of two types (infrastructure and superstructure), while the first includes roads, bridges, water, sewage, and electricity, and the ministry has projects in them. The government program has also allocated several projects, including relieving traffic congestion, which falls within the infrastructure.” Infrastructure is for roads and bridges, while superstructures are structures built above the ground.” Sabah adds to (Al-Mada), “Water and sewage projects in Baghdad Governorate are not the responsibility of the Ministry, but rather what is responsible for them is the Baghdad Municipality, and the Ministry’s work begins from outside the boundaries of the basic design of the borders of Baghdad Governorate, that is, from the Baghdad belt to all governorates, except for the governorates of the region.” “Kurdistan.” He explains, “The places that fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Construction and Housing are government program projects, investment plan projects, regional development projects, and projects financed by international loans. These projects receive the attention of the minister and there is continuous, almost daily and weekly follow-up and field visits from the minister personally to them.” .[/size]
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