Sayed al-Safi stated from al-Basra: After the end of our mission, we will assign the experts' team that came with us to stay here for one year to follow up and monitor what has been accomplished.

The envoy of the Supreme Religious Authority to the province of Basra, Sayed Ahmad al-Safi has announced the end of his mission in Basra province.

He also pointed to several matters related to the mission entrusted to him by His Eminence, the supreme religious authority Sayed Ali al-Sistani, to find out the problems of the province through a speech delivered on Monday, 7th of Muharram 1440 AH corresponding to September 17, 2018, in which he highlighted the following:

1 - The task was - as mentioned earlier - to identify the problem of drinking water in the city of Basra.

2 - Some problems cannot be solved in fifteen days, the problems of fifteen years cannot be solved by fifteen days.

3 - Unfortunately, the best drinking water project, established in 1997, did not receive special care and attention. If there was seriousness to sustain it, it would have solved a large proportion of the problem.

4 - After monitoring the problem, we bought pumps, more than twenty five of which have actually entered into work. We bought twenty of them and the rest came from some departments.

5 - We replaced some old pumps with new and good quality ones, and some pumps were returned to service after maintenance.

6 - The project has now very good energy, but this does not mean the arrival of water to all districts of Basra.

7 - The problem is a compound problem. We have accomplished our mission in the two-week period.

8 - Some media reported that the amount spent is (50) million dinars and this is not true, because the spent amount is much more.

9 - The reason for the lack of access to water to all areas of Basra lies because the problem is complex, there are pipes transporting raw water to the substations, and the water is sucked illegally from these pipes unfortunately, as sometimes the water taken illegally from these pipes by only one party can suffice for more than seven hundred house.

10- There are frequent abuses along the carrier line.

11 - We entrusted the concerned bodies and stressed on the elimination of these abuses.

12 - The other problem is the problem of existing networks and substations. I say: there is good mobility, which if it continues it will solve this problem.

13 - Access to drinking water has begun to reach many neighborhoods on an ongoing basis.

14 - My specific task was accomplished with the experts.

15 - Some things are related to others, it is unreasonable to be burdened with other problems and it is not our responsibility.

16 - The departments should not favor the abuses which must be eliminated.

17 - Some of the parties cooperated with us well while other parties did not care and we did not witness from them any sign that they are working seriously to solve the problem.

18- The concerned authorities must take into consideration the choice of persons and should instill interest in them.

19 - The matter that led us to come to Basra to solve this problem are two things. In addition to being assigned by His Eminence, Sayed. al-Sistani, is first: the pictures of the martyrs we see everywhere in this city, as if the martyrs look at us and ask for the right of their families.

20- The second matter concerns the task of water, which is the natural right of any citizen in the world, especially in the holy month of Muharram.

21- Basra is undoubtedly oppressed. The city, with its personalities, competencies and energies, must strive to lift the injustice from it. It is not reasonable to live permanently oppressed.

22- The Basra citizens must use a rational legal way to pressure the government to take their rights.

23 - Make the state embarrassed, as this was makes the state give the right.

24 - I did not get an answer when I asked: Do you give the Basra citizens their right of the petro-dollar?

25 - I call for optimism as many problems can be solved.

26 - The other problem is the good management of these crises, the water crisis if it was well managed, it would not reached this situation.

27 - Good governance can be achieved only through good follow-up.

28 - There must be good governance and will from the local and central governments to stop corruption.

29 - We will entrust the team of experts that has come with us to stay here for one year, to monitor and follow up on what has been accomplished during this period.

30 - We set up a camera system, we surveyed the area and we reached the sources of the Bad'a River.

31 - I would like to thank all the dear brothers who have helped us and participated in this mission.

32 - It was a good opportunity for us to serve our people in this beloved city, and we ask God to protect its people.