In a late response to the suspicions of corruption raised, Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak assigned the Central Oversight and Accounting Agency to review all the work of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.

This decision came after the escalation of disputes and accusations between the Prime Minister’s Office and the General Secretariat, which sparked widespread controversy in media circles.

Background of the crisis

The dispute erupted between the Prime Minister's Office and the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers after accusations of financial manipulation and corruption were brought by the Director of the Prime Minister's Office, Anis Baharitha, who stormed the meeting of an investigation committee into financial violations and prevented it from continuing its duties.

This incident came as part of an official memorandum submitted by the Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, Moti’ Ahmed Dammaj, to the Prime Minister, pointing out Baharitha’s chaotic actions that hinder the work of the General Secretariat.

According to media sources, attempts at reconciliation between the two parties, led by Abdullah Al-Alimi, a member of the Presidential Leadership Council, and Prime Minister Ben Mubarak, failed, as the meeting ended with sharp verbal altercations between Dammaj and Baharitha that almost developed into a fistfight.

This ongoing conflict demonstrates the extent of internal tensions and the attempts of the concerned parties to dig up files of financial corruption in order to overthrow the other, which prompted the Prime Minister to take a late step to assign the Central Oversight and Accounting Agency to review and examine the work of the General Secretariat to ensure transparency and accountability.