Lawmaker commends government's decision to sell houses at low prices

Shafaq News/An independent lawmaker commended the Iraqi government's efforts to harness the prices of the low-cost residential units in Maysan, hinting at a new bill to address the slums dilemma in the southern governorate.

"Low-cost residential units in Maysan are less than 1,000 in the entire governorate," Lawmaker Raed al-Maliki said, "according to the law on selling or renting state assets, an auction shall be held. However, this might bring the prices higher and citizens with lower income will not be able to purchase them."

"The government made an exception for these residential units and did not enlist them for auctioning. The deal will be made directly with the buyer without an auction after estimating its actual price."

"The governorate will consider the financial situation of the families wishing to buy a house. Hopefully the prices will be acceptable."

"Poor families are ubiquitous in Maysan. Many reside in the slums actually. We hope that these residential units contribute to resolving this issue," he said, "we are preparing a bill in the parliament to address the slums issue."

"According to the bill, encroachments to public areas and roads will be removed promptly," he explained, "but the agricultural areas where houses are built illegally can be transformed into residential areas."