[ad_1]
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned on Saturday that illegal and unplanned invasions of buildings across the country are almost as serious a problem as that of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
During the inauguration of several national projects in Alexandria, Sisi said that land grabbing and unplanned construction violations constitute a serious challenge for the state.
“You are concerned about water, but illegal buildings and unplanned construction are also another dangerous topic,” he said.
While emphasizing that the issues were not on the same level, the president urged people to take them both seriously.
“Water is a clear issue for us,” he explained, “but what is not so clear is the problem of invasions and construction on agricultural lands.”
The president called on citizens to stop encroaching on state lands, adding that eliminating violations and building violations will be a challenge and a mandate for the government.
He instructed Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly to act swiftly in cooperation with citizens to solve this problem, adding that 700,000 building violations have been recorded.
The president noted that the volume of building violations previously accounted for 12 percent of the total number of buildings in 2014 and has risen to 37.5 percent in 2020.
Sisi acknowledged that many citizens are upset by state regulations on the issue, but warned that continuing with these violations would eventually destroy the Egyptian state.
No severe penalties are imposed against unlicensed buildings before a six-month reconciliation deadline for violators, he explained.
Sisi stressed that this issue is the responsibility of all Egyptians, not just the government.
He also implored the media to raise awareness about the problem of encroachment on agricultural land and how this will seriously affect the security and future of the country.
[ad_2]
