PM: The fight against administrative and financial corruption at the top of our priorities

Baghdad-INA

The Prime Minister, Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani, affirmed, today, Saturday, placing the fight against administrative and financial corruption on the top of the government's priorities, while noting that the issue of social protection is a priority. 

The media office of the Prime Minister said, in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani chaired a meeting in the Diwaniyah Governorate building devoted to discussing the service situation in the governorate," noting that "the meeting was attended by both the Ministers of Health and Agriculture, and the Governor of Diwaniyah, in addition to a number of undersecretaries of the relevant ministries and officials in service departments. 

Al-Sudani confirmed during the meeting a number of points and axes, the most important of which is his visit to Diwaniyah Governorate, which is an affirmation of the government's message to adopt its priorities that were announced in the ministerial curriculum, and it will be included in the government program, and therefore it is the government's action plan for this period. 

He added, "Our priorities are clear, and they stem from diagnosing the most important problems and obstacles facing our people in all governorates, which have led to an increase in the suffering of citizens at various levels of living and services." 
He pointed out, "This accompanies the government's vision of economic reform, which must be, and cannot be delayed in light of the deterioration and ineffectiveness of the various sectors driving the economy represented by industry, agriculture and tourism. We cannot continue with the policy of relying on oil as a major source of the budget.".

Al-Sudani stressed that "combating administrative and financial corruption is a top priority for us, because this phenomenon poses a serious threat to all plans, programs and policies implemented by any government, whether the federal government or local governments."
He continued, "According to this vision, we found it appropriate to start from Diwaniyah, this governorate that leads the governorates in terms of poverty and unemployment rates, and in the weakness of economic activity at various levels, which greatly affected the service and living conditions of all the people of the governorate.".

Al-Sudani stressed that "this province gave and sacrificed, and offered offerings of martyrs and wounded in the various stations that passed through the country, the last of which was the war on ISIS. Put the martyrs before you in every joint, in every movement, position and in every decision, the nation that does not recognize or immortalize its martyrs, inanimate nation. 

He continued, "The visit to Diwaniyah Governorate is not a cursory visit within the Prime Minister's program. All our visits are working visits, in which we review problems, develop solutions, and listen if there are initiatives, support them, and come up with an outcome of recommendations."
He noted that "there is a team that follows up the recommendations, and on the basis of follow-up, all concerned are evaluated, starting with the governor and ending with managers and heads of administrative units and all departments."

"We have projects lagging behind in the service side, and the ministers and agents present must stand on these projects, follow up on the reality of the work of the departments, and put solutions and go to the governorate's allocations to see where they were allocated, and the sectors benefiting from them." he continued.

He pointed out, "At the beginning, we must prioritize, and choose the project that achieves the greatest service and benefit for the citizen, especially when it comes to working with a governorate budget, which is directed to serve the people of the governorate first, by providing basic services.".

Al-Sudani asserted that: "We hear about the ways of death, which took many of our citizens into traffic accidents, and this is a situation that must end, and the existence of this term ends. These projects may have priority, or any projects that you find serve the largest segment of citizens.".

He added, "The issue of social protection has priority, as the state pays attention to this program, according to an internationally approved scientific methodology that contributes to poverty alleviation. I do not mean only pension income, but we target multidimensional poverty, which includes education, health and housing services."