Major corruption uncovered at Iraqi border crossings, parliamentary committee reports
Aliwi disclosed that during a recent inspection, the committee discovered extensive corruption, describing it as "staggering and shameful" for the country.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Security and Defense Committee of the Iraqi Parliament has revealed alarming levels of corruption at the country's border crossings, with a reported corruption rate of 60 percent. The committee attributes this significant issue to the interference of government advisers in border affairs.
Aliwi disclosed that during a recent inspection, the committee discovered extensive corruption, describing it as "staggering and shameful" for the country. He emphasized that corruption at these border crossings has turned them into lucrative sources of revenue for corrupt individuals, with some instances showing corruption levels as high as 100 percent.
Aliwi also pointed out that government advisers, who are supposed to supervise border crossings, are instead meddling in the affairs of the border crossing, exacerbating the problem. In response, the committee plans to take decisive action in the coming days. They intend to summon officials from the border crossing authority to address the issue and make necessary decisions to combat this corruption.
In related news, the Iraqi Ministry of Finance on Saturday announced the country's revenue for the first five months of 2024. The total revenue amounted to 54,703,848,603,000 Iraqi dinars. Out of this sum, oil revenue accounted for 48,455,060,171,000 dinars, making up 88.5 percent of the total revenue. On the other hand, non-oil revenue reached 6,788,431,731,000 dinars, representing 11.5 percent of the total revenue.
As Iraq continues to grapple with corruption issues, these revelations highlight the need for stringent measures to ensure transparency and accountability in border operations and beyond.
