A total of 167 projects, planned to be implemented in Kirkuk province, including hospitals, the city’s international airport as well as rainwater drainage networks are running behind schedule due to financial and security reasons.
A report by the Iraqi Commission of Integrity’s Investigations Office published on September 1st, 2019 has revealed that hundreds of billions of Iraqi dinars have been allocated for these projects.
The report added that the lagging projects are divided into sections: government funded projects and private sector investment projects."
"These projects are lagging behind due to security and financial reasons in addition to administrative and financial irregularities, in terms of violations of the referral procedures and the lack of serious follow-up by the authorities, as well as the failure to take legal action against contractors."
Rainwater drainage and treatment networks costing 136 billion IQD and the construction of a 400-bed hospital at a cost of US$ 45 million are among the most significant projects which are moving at a slow pace.
The report also indicated that the implementation level in two other strategic projects (The Kirkuk International airport and the Kirkuk Modern City housing projects) have not exceeded 1%.
"The commission of Integrity’s investigative team, headed by the Director General of the office of Investigations is attaching great importance to monitoring the course of investigations in criminal cases, as well as investigating corruption charges in reconstruction projects, services and investment projects."
