State-owned Land Recovery Committee: We recovered 34 thousand acres in which 58% belongs to the Rural Agricultural Development Authority
The Embezzlement authority, a subsidiary to the Ministry of Justice, has conducted investigations concerning the cases brought from State-owned Land Recovery Committee, presided by Ibrahim Mahalb Assistant to the President of national and strategic projects. These investigations go on about false acquisition of some state-owned lands by businessmen and employees which led to maximising their wealth.
A judicial source has asserted that the embezzlement authority has appointed an investigation and observation committee to study the cases filed. These cases included violations of acquiring many lands by previous businessmen and state employees since 2005 without any legal rights. In addition, they used to profit from these lands either through renting them to companies or building projects on them which result in huge revenues.
The committee emphasised that it has all needed control bodies such as administrative control, General Intelligence Directorate and General Department of Public Funds Crime’s Investigation Police. It is being coordinated with embezzlement authority and there are representatives of those bodies to review each decision legally.
State-owned Land Recovery Committee has pointed out its transparency when announcing decisions and procedures to the public as it respects citizens’ rights and desires to keep them informed of every detail in the committee.
Ahmed Ayoub, Spokesman of State-owned Land Recovery Committee, has announced that 43 thousand acres have been recovered until now, adding that 37 thousand acres belong to Rural Agricultural Development Authority and 6 thousand acres belong to New Urban Communities Authority.
He added that the committee has three main tasks according to the republic decree that appointed the committee. The first task is determining the looted state-owned lands; secondly, recovering those lands or the states’ dues of these lands. The third task is protecting these lands in case of any future assault.
Ayoub said that the committee has appointed a part of its staff to receive rationing applications; «rationing» has been announced as the first solution of the land false acquisition. He also added that he received rationing applications of 120 thousand acres and payments of EGP 350m as a proof of earnestness. These applications are being processed and lands are being surveyed to go on with the procedures of rationing.
The committee asserted that the rationing process is conducted according to laws and regulations as those who submitted their application must commit to the land specified activity. Thus, owning the land does not mean that the owner can change its specialised activity but he must commit to the purpose stated in the land contract.
One of the applications submitted, which controversy have arisen upon lately, was well studied before acceptance. In addition, the bribe issue that the applicant has been accused of was merely a result of one the employees who took advantage of his post to profit. The committee has exposed that Emad Attia, previous investigation judge and committee member consultant, asserted the legitimacy of that application and the committee did not receive any concerns from any judicial or control body. In addition, the committee said it is always open to applicants and it does conceal any facts because it works for the welfare and rights of the Egyptian citizens.
On the other hand, Mahlab urges survey and rationing committees to exert efforts in order to finish surveying Cairo–Alexandria desert road lands in 2 months maximum; this is necessary to accelerate the process of recovering the state-owned lands without any procrastination.
