Several shantytowns destroyed in Laayoune

Several shantytowns were destroyed in the Moroccan Southern of Laayoune part of the national program on the eradication of slums, said on Wednesday housing and urbanism minister Ahmed Toufiq Hjira at a question time at the House of Representatives.

Hjira added the operations also helped relocated thousands of slum's dwellers living in the Southern provinces of the North African Kingdom, specifying that 3,116 shanties were erased in the Hay Al Mossalla, while 860 shanties were brought down in Hay Al Quds, both located in Laayoune.

In Dakhla, farther South, the authorities have built lodgings over a 15 hectares area and 700 houses have been handed to people since 2003, the minister said adding the cost of the operation is MAD 102.5 million, about 10 million euros. Some 870 shanties were erased in this town, he went on to say.

The recipients are to pay rent between MAD 220 and 205 at a first stage, before being entitled to own the housing units, he said adding people still living in unhealthy housing in Dakhla will be relocated as soon as 5,500 housing units are built.