The Role of the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs in Managing Waqf Properties

- The State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau (SAACB) followed up on the recommendations contained in its report dated 29-12-2021, regarding the role of (Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs) in the management and oversight of waqf properties for the year 2018, and it was found that only one recommendation was implemented, representing 6%, while 6 recommendations were implemented partially, representing 35%, and the remaining recommendations, numbering 10, were not implemented, representing 59%...!...Why?

- The most important results of following up some recommendations (not implemented by the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs) in 2018, as stated in the SAACB's recommendations follow-up report issued at the end of 2021:

- Recommendations not implemented by the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs:

1- Work on redrafting the laws and regulations, and unifying them into a single Palestinian law that addresses all appropriate issues and instructions and necessary needs that help develop waqf funds and ensure their application is understood in a manner commensurate with the requirements of society, and work on implementing Cabinet decisions No. 68 and 61 of 2004".....(the recommendation was not implemented)

2- The necessity of distributing the employees supervising waqf properties among the directorates in a manner commensurate with their number and size..(the recommendation was not implemented)

3- The necessity for the General Directorate of Waqf Properties to prepare annual plans that clarify its goals, objectives and outputs, so that it can carry out its tasks accurately and reflect the reality of its work and its follow-up of waqf properties.........(the recommendation was not implemented)

4- Inventory of waqf properties: the necessity for the Ministry to register and inventory all waqf properties, to provide all waqf deeds for them, to conduct a comprehensive survey of all waqf lands and determine their areas accurately, and to prepare detailed annual reports on waqf lands that show the area of each waqf plot, and to perform an evaluation and comparison of them from year to year, and to identify encroachments on them if any exist.......(the recommendation was not implemented). There is another recommendation not implemented in this regard, which states the necessity of developing an electronic program to document waqf properties, provide the necessary reports and document agreements....(and the recommendation was not implemented...as well)

5- The Ministry's valuation of its fixed waqf property assets, whether at book value or fair value, to determine their worth...............(the recommendation was not implemented)..

6- The necessity of preparing an accurate and comprehensive database of all waqf properties and their areas with new plot and basin numbers, their geographic locations, coordinating with the Land Settlement Commission, Water, and the Land Authority, and obtaining new registration certificates and entries to update the data of lands and waqf properties that underwent settlement procedures, and the necessity of having all the necessary supporting documents for leasing agreements and contracts.......(the recommendation was not implemented).

7- Unclosed advances: "The necessity of closing the (unclosed advance) that was transferred from waqf property revenue accounts to the Hajj season account in the amount of 800,000 dinars (eight hundred thousand Jordanian dinars), and it was not recorded as a debit balance in the waqf properties accounts.....! (the recommendation was not implemented).!

8- Receivables from government institutions: the necessity for the Ministry to work on collecting the receivable balances recorded against government institutions, organizing rental contracts for waqf properties (government schools) exploited by them, and renewing lease contracts for expired waqf properties exploited by government institutions (the recommendation was implemented partially)

- Receivables from the Ministry of Finance: the necessity of following up with the Ministry of Finance to collect the outstanding receivables due to the Ministry of Awqaf related to the Waqf of Khasaki Sultan (in implementation of the President's decision dated 4-4-2011), and recording them as a receivable against the Ministry of Finance until they are paid..(the recommendation was not implemented).

· The failure of public institutions to implement the State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau (SAACB)'s recommendations contained in its annual reports requires us to call for the mandatory implementation of the SAACB's recommendations, especially in the absence of the Legislative Council...!, so that the accountability system carried out by the SAACB's annual reports is activated and widely published to the public...to correct and improve, and to strengthen confidence in the work of public institutions, whether official or unofficial...

- Date 12-1-2022