Iraqis circulated on social media a document in which the cement company affiliated to the Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Minerals offered each employee 5 tons of cement at the official price, provided that their wages were partially deducted from his salary.
The document indicates that the company director took this action due to the delay in paying employees' salaries.
After angry criticism directed at this measure, the Minister of Industry and Minerals in Iraq, Manhal Aziz Al-Khabaz, hurried to cancel the book issued - the document - from the company in this regard, describing the decision as a personal and unexplained diligence.
The Iraqi minister directed the formation of an investigative council (an investigation committee) in this case, and the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the decision, taking legal measures, and punishing the violators and negligent.
The Minister of Industry and Minerals orders the cancellation of the General Company for Iraqi Cement book and an immediate investigation ...
Posted by Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Minerals on Monday, 5 October 2020
The reactions of the Iraqis on social media varied between a supporter and a cynic about the idea of the General Cement Company, wondering about solutions that could be devised by ministries and other companies to solve the salary crisis.
If I were in a position of responsibility, I would like to thank the general manager of the cement company who devised the method of selling cement at the official price and in deferred payment to his employees because of his sense of their problems, and for inventing a legal way to address the delay in salaries instead of the unfair investigation that he is exposed to.
If there is fairness, then let him be held accountable from the last salaries.
- Zafer Al Ani (@DhaferAlani) October 6, 2020
Of lentils to cement
Hessian Hai Stahtlh and good
distribution of
cement to the Ministry of
Industry employees rather than their salaries !!
pic.twitter.com/VPy5LZDFpa
- Ali Al-Khalidi - Ali al-Khalidi (@alialkhalede) October 6, 2020
How many tons of cement will you pay?
pic.twitter.com/hyV87RqiT0
- Saif Salah Al-Hiti (@saifsalahalhety) October 6, 2020
It is customary to pay the salaries of employees, starting from the 15th of each month until the 26th of the same month, but last September, the salaries of government employees were late for the first time, due to the financial crisis.
The Iraqi government announced that it will begin today to pay back salaries to employees.
The Finance Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that "the financial pressure in the country will continue for the foreseeable future, as the country's main source of income from oil exports will be constantly affected by the global decline in demand and the massive outbreak of the Corona epidemic."
The delay in paying the salaries of employees and retirees for the past month, sparked a widespread wave of discontent in the Iraqi street.
It is noteworthy that Iraq - the second largest producer of crude oil in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) after Saudi Arabia with an average of 4.6 million barrels per day - relies on oil to provide more than 90% of its revenues.