Government Building Surpluses... Back to Square One

In its Sunday, January 31, 2026, edition, a newspaper published an article titled “Government Vacancies… Sad Facilities.” My most pressing question was: Given that there are 515 unutilized government properties, should we not ask whether these are assets that could be put to use, and whether they are indeed sad facilities?

The occasion for revisiting this topic is a report published a few days ago in a local newspaper, which stated that there is a proposal to “distribute the state’s surplus buildings to government entities that are currently renting.”

This proposal is, of course, not new; it has been presented to successive governments, but unfortunately, it has not been taken seriously. I do not know why. There are many vacant state-owned buildings that no one benefits from; in fact, they sometimes become breeding grounds for insects and other pests. Moreover, some individuals of weak character may use them for indecent and illegal activities, while some ministries are forced to rent office spaces in certain areas.

On the other hand, there are many government buildings that are rented, as well as numerous activities that lack adequate venues. In addition, many locations suffer from congestion due to the lack of parking spaces. Thus, it seems that the “khor” (a local term implying a tangled or complicated mess) regarding these buildings is easily untangled, and the issue can be resolved at its root.

State real estate assets, in any country, represent added value if they are properly managed and optimally utilized. However, when neglected, they become a burden on public finances.

Unaccounted or seemingly marginal expenditures are, in reality, deficits that can be avoided, especially when viable alternatives exist. As we noted in our previous article, there are 515 state-owned properties, yet there is a shortage of government buildings, leading the state to rent facilities for official use. Is this not wasteful? Who bears responsibility for this waste?

There are many unused schools and other facilities, as well as vacant state-owned lands that are left unused. Some of these are located in areas with very high property prices. Why are they not utilized?

In this regard, I recall that a heritage village has been abandoned for over ten years, with the project’s progress reaching less than half of its completion. Similarly, some projects have been left unfinished, as if they had been abandoned altogether. The question remains: Why this waste of time and money?

I hope that a committee will be established within the Cabinet to review these and other proposals, and to ensure the utilization of these real estate assets so that they do not remain neglected and do not become a heavy burden on the state.