Morocco mulls fresh initiatives to promote housing

Moroccan prime minister, Driss Jettou, unveiled here Monday a train of initiatives to promote the housing sector, take up the challenge of social housing and fight unhealthy housing.

The minister said during a workshop themed "slum-free cities 2004" the government decided to review the traditional task of urban agencies to make them a genuine instrument for the promotion of investments in the sector.

Jettou announced plans to merge three major state-owned companies operating in the housing sector in order to concentrate real estate, technical means and human resources, as well as a re-organizing of the housing ministry human resources in such a way to reinforce urban agencies and improve the performance of the housing ministry's regional delegations.

The official recalled the bills that are being adopted concerning housing and urbanism, noting that they comprise a series of measures aiming to sanction all infractions to the laws regulating the sector and halt the proliferation of illegal housing.

The prime minister said the government has also been consulting with banks over new loan formulas that would allow beneficiaries to purchase properties without prepayments, with low interest rates and the extension of payment on 25 years.

Jettou called on local councils to look at sewage systems as a priority especially in large cities, explaining that it is part of the problem of unhealthy housing.

For his part, minister in charge of housing and urbanism, Taoufiq Hjira, recalled the throne speech of July 31 that called for a fresh approach to fight unhealthy housing, insisting that all actors will be part of the strategy aiming to eradicate this kind of housing and meet the demand in the sector.