Egypt’s PM reviews development projects in Port Said, reconciliation on building violations

CAIRO – 11 September 2020: Egypt’s Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli followed up the status of development and service projects being carried out in Port Said governorate, as well as the issue of reconciliation requests concerning illegal buildings.

Law number 1 of 2020 stipulates that a reconciliation can be reached with the state concerning buildings constructed in violation of laws organizing construction process.

The law has set reconciliation fines between LE 50 ($3.17) to LE 2,000 ($127) per meter. A reconciliation request shall be submitted within 6 months ending on September 30. The prime minister can extend it for one more time.

In a video conference meeting with Port Said Governor Adel el Ghadban and the governorate’s security chief Nasser Herez, the premier reiterated the State’s keenness to push forward development in all fields, in a way that helps achieve the Egyptian people’s hopes and aspirations in light of the government’s constant follow-up of the projects being implemented nationwide.

Ghadban reviewed the executive status of the ongoing national projects in Port Said, the efforts exerted in the coastal city as part of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s directives.

According to the statement, a desalination plant is being implemented with a total capacity of 20,000 cubic meters per day at a cost of LE 440 million ($27.9 million) for the station and another LE 150 million ($9.52) for transport lines.

Also, 429 factories in the industrial zone in South Port Said, including 301 factories, with an investment cost exceeding 14 billion pounds, with a volume of labor exceeding 22 thousand 89, in addition to the presence of 89 factories under construction of them as well.

Ghadban said the industrial zone in Port Said includes 429 factories at a cost of more than LE 14 billion and with an employment that exceeds 22,000 people.

Next month, the completion of the establishment of the vegetable and fruit market at an estimated cost of LE 200 million ($12.7 million) ... and the preparation of the urban space and the general strategic plan for the city of Borfa

Building violations

Unplanned random construction in Egypt represents around 50 percent of buildings at all cities and villages, Madbouli said earlier, adding that the state has lost about 400,000 feddans of agricultural land, due to suburban sprawl.

One feddan equals to 1.03 acre.

In a press conference with a number of ministers on Wednesday, Madbouli said the state lost 90,000 feddans of agricultural land since 2011, deeming it as a “real disaster,” as Egyptian people depend on agriculture as a main source of food and as many job opportunities linked to agriculture were also wasted.

Year 2011 marks the January 25 revolution, when millions of protesters took to streets to protest corruption and dictatorship and managed to oust late President Hosni Mubarak, who ruled for three decades and died in February this year.

As a result of unplanned construction on agricultural land, the state has borne a cost worth LE 150,000 ($9,505) to LE 200,000 ($12,674) to reclaim one feddan in desert lands as an alternative, which means that LE 18 billion ($1.14 billion) is needed to compensate 90 feddans wasted by suburban sprawl.

During the press conference, Madbouli said the 2020 law stated the reconciliation fine can be paid in installments throughout three years without interests. He added that a discount ranging between 10 percent and 55 percent on reconciliation fines was applied, given social classes of people inhabiting the area.

Madbouli noted that the reconciliation law is not a punitive measure but it rather offers a service to citizens, clarifying that reconciliation gives the property an official status, which he said obliges the government to provide all services to that property.

MENA contributed to the reporting.