A large annual envelope of around 300 million dirhams (MDH) has been allocated as part of improving the governance of the Closed Mosques Rehabilitation Program, announced the Minister of Habous and Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Taoufiq.
Inviting during the session of oral questions in the House of Councilors, on the program of the ministry for the acceleration of the pace of the rehabilitation of closed mosques, presented by the istiqlalian group of Unity and egalitarianism, Taoufiq added that the ministry has strengthened the mechanisms for the implementation of this program, by improving the technical supervision of the regional and provincial delegations and by setting up procedures and computer programs for its execution and the evaluation of its efficiency.
The ministry has also signed cooperation agreements with several public and semi-public institutions, such as the National Agency for Public Facilities, the Agency for the Rehabilitation of the City of Fez for Fez-Meknes projects, added the government official.
It is also, according to him, the Agency for the Promotion and Economic and Social Development of the Northern Prefectures and Provinces of the Kingdom (APDN) for the projects of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, Al Omrane for the projects of Marrakech and Kenitra, as well as the Idmaj Sakan Company for the Casablanca projects.
The efforts made since 2011 have made it possible, until today, to rehabilitate 1,382 out of 3,665 mosques, mobilizing nearly 2.41 billion dirhams (MMDH), said the minister, adding that technical expertise has been carried out for 5,029 mosques for a total cost of 152 MDH.
As for the rest of the closed mosques, which number 2,283, they are spread over 539 mosques undergoing rehabilitation for an overall budget of 1.3 billion dirhams and 519 undergoing studies and authorization procedures, noted Taoufiq, noting that despite the effort made by the State and benefactors, 1,225 mosques remain to be rehabilitated and require around 1 billion dirhams.
Moreover, the number of mosques closed each year fluctuates between 200 and 250 mosques, he concluded.
.