Abdelilah Benkirane, Secretary-General of the Justice and Development Party (PJD) and former head of government, has called on current Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch to issue an official statement clarifying allegations of public funding support for his company in the Casablanca seawater desalination project.
Speaking on Saturday, January 18, during PJD’s National Council session in Bouznika, near Casablanca, Benkirane highlighted potential conflicts of interest occurring at the highest levels of the state.
He criticized the inconsistency between Akhannouch’s December 2024 parliamentary claims, in which he denied his company received public subsidies, and an official statement by the National Investment Commission confirming financial support exceeding MAD 2.17 billion for the project.
The MAD 6.5 billion project was awarded to conglomerate “Akwa Group” following a contested bidding process. Benkirane questioned the legitimacy of a procedure where a company could propose a competitive bid price and later seek public funding from a commission chaired by the head of government himself.
Idriss Azami Al Idrissi, PJD National Council President and former Budget Minister, echoed the concerns. He highlighted contradictions in the project’s tender, which explicitly stated that financial and technical proposals should not involve public funding.
Azami also noted that the National Office for Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE), responsible for overseeing the tender, operates under Akhannouch the leadership. This dual role, according to PJD, undermines the transparency and neutrality of the decision-making process.
Benkirane, who previously called for Akhannouch’s resignation in December, reiterated his demand during a press conference in Rabat. He urged Akhannouch to step down, stating, “Resign, Mr. Akhannouch. Leave your position and allow Morocco to breathe during the final two years of your mandate.”
He criticized the lack of transparency in public management under the current administration, labeling the situation as unprecedented despite Morocco’s history of business leaders serving as prime ministers.
Benkirane noted that former business leaders like Idriss Jettou and Karim Lamrani served in similar capacities without raising such concerns.
Benkirane himself, who served as head of government from 2012 to 2017, has faced criticism for his tenure. Despite implementing subsidy reforms to address the fiscal deficit, his measures were seen as disproportionately burdening low-income Moroccans, contributing to increased living costs and widespread dissatisfaction.
His government’s handling of labor rights and public sector wage issues drew accusations of prioritizing austerity over social welfare. Critics argue that while Benkirane inherited a promising political climate following the 2011 constitutional reforms, he failed to capitalize on it to strengthen democratic institutions, address systemic corruption, or empower Morocco’s disadvantaged regions.