A joint report released by the Ministry of Local Development and the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation holds "the Egyptian government" fully responsible for poor local services in governorates.
The ‘Human Development” report for 2015, a copy of which was obtained by Al-Masry Al-Youm, accused the government of neglecting the improvement of vital services, including drinking water, sewage, education and healthcare.
The report, which surveyed citizen’s opinions on the “quality of life” at their respective governorates, said 60 percent of respondents blamed the deteriorating services on local municipalities, compared to 40 percent who laid responsibility on the central government.
While 56 percent believe governorates are totally uncommitted to improving their quality of life, 14.6 percent said they coould sense their commitment, the report said.
With regard to municipality heads, 80 percent believe there is a gap between local development plans and the actual allocations earmarked for those plans. They have also decried delays in the implementation of projects by the central government, mainly in the area of sewage development, adding that the lack of education allocations harms the schools, which need to admit soaring numbers of students, hindering their efforts to renovate the dilapidated educational facilities.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
