RIYADH: The National Anti-Corruption Commission (Nazaha) has revealed administrative and financial irregularities of over SR2 million in a road construction project in Abha (Asir province).
Nazaha swung into action after receiving a tip-off from a citizen about the irregularities, Abdulrahman Al-Ajlan, the spokesman of the commission said.
An inquiry by Nazaha uncovered irregularities ranging from overestimation of the project cost to the amount of compensation paid to the property owners. The commission submitted its findings to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution and recommended action.
Al-Ajlan said the commission noticed various irregularities, such as tampering with the data. (Altering the dimensions of the land area in the sale deed of a citizen on July 27, 2010 contrary to the facts mentioned in the title issued in 1976.)
“The committee estimated the value of the expropriated property and found that it had been hiked to SR3,000 per square meter, compared to the purchase price from the citizen at SR65 per sq. meter” he said, adding that the figure had been inflated in the committee’s assessment.
The spokesman said the principle of transparency, protection of integrity in public dealings and combating corruption in all its forms as stipulated by the National Strategy for the Protection of Integrity and Anti-corruption had been flouted in the land transaction.
Nazaha uncovers SR2m graft in road project
Nazaha uncovers SR2m graft in road project
UN chief visits KSrelief HQ in Riyadh
- 2 sides discuss humanitarian, relief priorities
- Officials present overview of center’s global portfolio
RIYADH: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the Saudi aid agency KSrelief in Riyadh on Thursday, where he held talks on strengthening cooperation between the UN and the Kingdom’s leading humanitarian institution.
Guterres met Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah — adviser at the Royal Court and supervisor general of KSrelief — along with senior officials, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al-Wasil, Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN in New York, was also present.
The two sides discussed humanitarian and relief priorities, as well as ways to expand collaboration between KSrelief and various UN agencies, the SPA added.
Officials also presented an overview of the center’s expanding global portfolio, which has now reached 3,881 projects across 109 countries, worth more than $8 billion.
Projects highlighted included the artificial limbs program; the Masam demining initiative in Yemen; the scheme to reintegrate Yemeni children formerly associated with armed conflict; voluntary medical missions; and KSrelief’s Conjoined Twins Program.
The center’s work on digital relief platforms, international documentation and registration, and other humanitarian initiatives was also showcased.
Guterres later toured KSrelief’s permanent exhibition, which featured an interactive map of beneficiary countries; multimedia human-interest stories; volunteer program displays; and a “messages of hope” corner at which he used a virtual-reality headset which attempted to simulate the experiences of refugees and displaced people.
The UN chief also met Saudi medical volunteers involved in KSrelief missions abroad, and heard their accounts of delivering assistance on the ground.
He then visited offices of partner organizations and international bodies housed within the center, receiving briefings on their joint programs with KSrelief.
