The specter may not leave… The finance portfolio occupies Al-Zidi’s mind, and controversy surrounds a “suspicious” figure.
On Monday, informed sources revealed the most prominent figures competing for the position of Minister of Finance within the anticipated government formation, with the possibility of Taif Sami continuing in her position, at a time when consultations are continuing within the forces of the Coordination Framework to decide on the ministerial portfolios.
According to sources who spoke to Shafaq News Agency, Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi asked the framework forces to give him the Ministries of Finance and Interior, and that he would personally select competent individuals to manage them, after the Hikma Movement obtained the Ministry of Finance portfolio as part of the ongoing political understandings.
Sources indicate that the names being considered for the Ministry of Finance are topped by (Mohammed Saheb Al-Daraji) as the most likely candidate for the position, along with the Director General of Al-Rafidain Bank (Ali Karim Hussein) as another candidate for the ministry.
The nomination of the director of Rafidain Bank comes amid a previous controversy and accusations against him regarding files related to the bank, as Finance Minister Taif Sami had issued a decision to suspend the bank director and more than 20 officials and employees on suspicion of manipulating the sale of dollars at Baghdad International Airport, in addition to other administrative and financial violations.
However, the minister later reversed her decision and lifted the suspension of the employees covered by the investigation, according to an official document, amid reports that the file was subjected to political pressure that led to its settlement and the closure of the investigation without recommendations to impose penalties on the accused.
One of the sources told Shafaq News Agency that there is information circulating regarding other files related to Al-Rafidain Bank concerning suspicions of money laundering, waste, and mismanagement.
Last August, US Congressman Joe Wilson accused the state-owned Rafidain Bank, managed by Ali Karim Hussein, of conducting financial transactions with the Houthi group in Yemen, threatening to cut off US financial funding to Iraq.
The bank’s branch in Abu Dhabi also committed financial and administrative violations, in addition to monitoring indicators of mismanagement, which prompted the UAE Central Bank to impose “large financial” fines on the branch.
Shafaq.com