Growing Concerns Over Housing Support Program in Morocco
The Moroccan government and the Ministry of Housing are facing escalating criticism regarding the new form of support for home purchases, which has strayed from its intended objectives and instead benefitted real estate developers. The soaring prices of supported apartments have exacerbated this issue, alongside the proliferation of illegal practices, notably the infamous "nuwar" (under-the-table payments). The Moroccan Association for Consumer Protection and Guidance has stepped in to highlight that the intended support has failed to reach citizens, who only encounter government slogans while the real beneficiaries are the developers who have drained consumers' pockets.
The association's branch in the Marrakech region expressed its strong disapproval of the actual outcomes of the housing support program, which the government promoted as a means of providing citizens with fair access to decent housing. The stark contrast between official rhetoric and the daily realities faced by citizens is alarming, as increasing complaints reveal a shocking disparity. After an ample evaluation period, it has become clear that what was presented as direct support for Moroccan families has often morphed into a new lever for enhancing the profits of real estate developers. For instance, the price of apartments initially set at 250,000 dirhams has surged to 350,000 dirhams, leaving citizens, who were supposed to be the primary beneficiaries, grappling with the same skyrocketing prices and harsh conditions, if not facing even greater financial pressures.
Moreover, the association has expressed serious concern over the persistence of some developers in engaging in disgraceful and illegal practices, particularly the imposition of "nuwar," blatantly defying existing laws and undermining principles of transparency and fair competition, while showing a blatant disregard for consumer rights and dignity. The association posed a crucial question: how can we discuss social support aimed at citizens when they find themselves compelled to bear additional costs outside legal frameworks due to the pressing need for housing and the absence of real protection? They lamented numerous other violations that further exacerbate the plight of those seeking to purchase homes, including contractors' failure to meet delivery deadlines, inflated fees and costs associated with transactions, and the imposition of specific notaries by developers, alongside a lack of adherence to the stipulated fees for notarial services.
The association asserts that any public support that does not directly translate into a reduction of actual housing costs or protection of the purchasing power of citizens effectively transforms into indirect support for speculation and profit inflation. This undermines the essence of social policy and erodes trust in public programs. "Consumer protectors" have unequivocally rejected the transformation of housing support from a social tool intended for citizens into a means of indirectly boosting the profits of real estate lobbies and speculators. They strongly condemned the continued imposition of "nuwar" and all forms of manipulation and extortion that burden consumers and perpetuate a parallel economy that undermines the foundations of fiscal and legal justice.
The consumer association has called on the government, specifically the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, to take full responsibility by initiating serious investigations and enforcing strict oversight of the real estate market, imposing appropriate legal sanctions against all involved in these malpractices. They further urged a thorough and courageous review of the housing support program and its implementation mechanisms, linking it to clear legal guarantees that prevent manipulation and protect the true beneficiaries—Moroccan citizens. The right to decent housing is a constitutional and social right that should not become a new avenue for exploitation and enrichment at the expense of ordinary and middle-class families.
As reported by lakome2.com.
