The head of the Financial and Economic Committee in the Nineveh Provincial Council, Abdullah Atheel Al-Nujaifi, says that the budget schedules have not reached us from the federal government yet and the dates have not yet been determined.
In a special press interview with "KirkukNow", Al-Nujaifi confirmed that the committee he heads has not held any meeting, but they are committed to developing economic policies that suit the needs of the province.
KirkukNow: Do you have information about the timing of sending the budget from the federal government?
Abdullah Al-Nujaifi: So far, we have not received any schedules or dates related to this issue, and we are still waiting for them. The last thing we had was the supplementary budget that was implemented, and we are still waiting for the next budget without receiving any information about it.
KirkukNow: What are the most prominent financial problems of the province?
Abdullah Al-Nujaifi: There are problems in some financial and economic issues within the province, as the budget of Nineveh province is the lowest compared to previous years, and this is due to several accumulations, most notably the centralization of the decision that negatively affected the provinces, especially regarding the general budget.
The general budget faces many problems and needs new policies aimed at reducing spending and increasing investments and revenues, in addition to the existence of a deficit of (62 trillion dinars ($45M), and that the operating budget constitutes (60%) of the total budget, which is a dangerous situation.
KirkukNow: At the level of Nineveh province, do you have strategies or plans for its budget?
Abdullah Al-Nujaifi: We are committed in Nineveh province to implementing strategies that enhance the infrastructure and enable the private sector to exploit the budget effectively. Our primary function is to develop a financial policy capable of supporting this growth.
Nineveh Province's budget is the lowest compared to previous years
It is necessary to direct the budget towards effective economic strategies, as success revolves not only around how to spend, but also how this spending can generate revenues. The state should focus its investments on infrastructure projects that in turn facilitate and enable the private sector to establish factories and other infrastructure to create job opportunities. It is important to direct strategic plans and projects in a way that allows the private sector to invest and provide jobs.
KirkukNow: Can the delay in the budget cast a shadow over the province?
Abdullah al-Nujaifi: There is a delay, but it is not a significant delay that would hinder work in the province. So far, the budget has not reached us at all. Our biggest problem lies in the Nineveh Investment Committee, and this issue may disrupt the workflow. So far, the head of the Investment Commission has not been appointed, and there are candidates from within the circle, but this issue has not been decided yet.
Drawing the financial and investment map is one of the council's tasks, and the possibility of resolving the issue in a short period, after which we will move towards drawing the investment map because we are facing a large deficit in many files.
KirkukNow: Are there specific projects that will be focused on?
Abdullah al-Nujaifi: The real and major crisis facing the province is the housing crisis. In Nineveh province, we need about 500,000 housing units during the next five years, which is a very large number, and is linked to the process of organizing the city. We also have an expansion project that includes annexing 192,000 dunums (19,200 hectares) to the city of Mosul, with the areas divided into residential, commercial, green areas and schools. This matter is linked to the approval of the Ministry of Planning. The project was referred six months ago, and it is supposed to be completed within a year and a half. This project, in addition to developing a correct investment map, can contribute to organizing the city's situation."
Kirkuk Now: What are the areas that you care about the most taking the issue of fair distribution of the budget into consideration?
Abdullah al-Nujaifi: We are committed to the Ministry of Planning's percentages, and there is great government interest in the city of Sinjar (Shingal), which we appreciate and support, but I believe that the city of Mosul, especially in the compensation file, needs greater attention to ensure the return of the city's people and organize their affairs in a way that suits their situation, in addition to the need to inject sufficient financial capacity.
*This story has been produced as part of the 'Budget is Your Right' initiative, with support from the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
