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In the midst of the successive crises in Lebanon, a new scandal related to the waste of thousands of tons of flour provided by the State of Iraq after the explosion, today Thursday.
The crisis began the day after the municipality of Al-Ghobeiry announced that the thousands of tons of flour provided by the State of Iraq after the explosion could be spoiled when stored under the stands of the Sports City, generating widespread criticism of the Ministry of Economy.
At a time when the Lebanese people groan under the suffocating economic crisis that has caused an unprecedented rise in prices, the Ministry of Economy has stored thousands of flour sent as aid from Iraq, randomly in a warehouse known as the Beirut Sports City, which led to its corruption and damage to much of it as a consequence. The heavy rain that seeped into the scene prompted a group of lawyers to sue the officials.
While the Minister of Economy, Raúl Nehme, tried to avoid his responsibility, the municipality of Ghobeiry confirmed in the statement of this scandal, accompanied by photographs of the quantities of flour, that “the municipal police revealed a disaster in the warehouses of the Sports City “, Noting that” flour is subject to water, humidity and air, and that “thousands of tons of aid flour sent from the State of Iraq is poorly stored in the lower stalls and in the lower aisles.”
After the blessing of the critics, he announced through his account on “Twitter” that some 7,000 tons of flour had been temporarily stored in the Sports City, at the request of the Lebanese army, for distribution in stages to kilns and mills for that the Lebanese could benefit from the gift by increasing the weight of the bundle of bread, while carrying out all possible preventive measures to preserve the flour.
He explained in a second tweet that “the images that circulated on social networks show materials that were damaged during the process of unloading and transporting goods.”
On the other hand, the general director of sports facilities, Riyadh Al-Sheikha, said in a statement that “the flour is stored in the Sports City for the benefit of the Ministry of Economy for a period of 15 days only until it is distributed, and not we are related to this matter. ”
Despite the denial of responsibility, the Minister of Economy prevented the food safety team of the Ghobeiry municipality from inspecting the flour in the Sports City, the team announced today in a video recorded in front of the flour storage site, indicating that the Minister of Economy did not give the observers permission to enter and inspect the materials. Food and flour.
Today, the National Media Agency reported that the group “People want to reform the system”, represented by several lawyers, filed a complaint with the Financial Prosecutor’s Office against all the ministers, managers, employees and officials involved in the investigation of the crime of ” negligence at work and causing the destruction of thousands of tons of the presented Iraqi flour gift. To the Lebanese government, to distribute it to the poor of the Lebanese people. ”
Later that day, Minister Nehme sent a letter to the Cabinet Secretariat regarding the storage of the gift of flour.
He stated that he was not ready to unload and store it 3 days after informing him of the donation, but the Army Directorate presented Ciudad Deportiva as a temporary deposit under his supervision.
He pointed out that 7,000 tons were stored in wooden drums with the protection of plastic sheets, as for the images that were disseminated, they are damaged bags that are not suitable for manufacturing and that have been reserved to be damaged.
Nehme said in this context that “the amount affected does not exceed three bags and will be gradually withdrawn.” He explained that the Iraqi donation amounted to 10,000 tons, of which about 3,000 were distributed, while the remaining amount was stored in the Sports City.
Demolish grain waste
In a related context, the Minister of Economy and Trade of the interim government, Raúl Nehme, announced this Thursday that in the next stage, grain waste will be demolished after its foundations were cracked by the terrible explosion at the port of Beirut three months ago. .
He said at a press conference held at the ministry that after studying the reality of the building by experts, “it was clear to us that the building is damaged, and more precisely represents a danger to the public safety of those who approach it.”
He explained that “the possibility of collapse is present at all times, especially since the foundations are damaged, and its demolition has become a necessity to avoid any other problem that may arise”, noting that “the army will take charge of the bullshit demolition with expert support. “
A terrible explosion occurred in Pavilion No. 12, along with wheat leftovers, in the port on August 4, killing more than two hundred people, including several employees in the control room, and injuring more than 6,500 people. It also caused significant damage to the port and several neighborhoods in the capital.
Authorities attributed the explosion to the storage of large quantities of ammonium nitrate in the port without protective conditions. The authorities, who have arrested 25 people, including senior officials responsible for managing the port and its security, are investigating the case without announcing any results yet.
According to the Ministry of Economy, about 45 thousand tons of grains were stored in the silos, especially wheat and corn, according to the Ministry of Economy, the quantities that are still present in some of the silos were not clear.
However, Nima made it clear that “it was not suitable for human and animal consumption”, according to reports prepared by experts after the explosion. He said: “We will work to empty the silos as soon as we can and without risk”, to preserve the safety of the workers.
Lebanon began to accumulate endowments in the late 1960s, thanks to a loan obtained at that time from the Kuwait Fund for Economic Development. And the United Nations warned in late August that more than half of Lebanon’s population is at risk of food insecurity in the coming months, after the explosion aggravated the acute economic crisis in the country.
In a report, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) called on the Lebanese government to give priority to rebuilding grain waste, as it is essential for national food security.
