Sonatrach’s CEO dismiss official behind employment scandals

Sonatrach’s CEO Nourredine Cherrouati dismissed human resources executive director Tuesday who was appointed by former CEO Mohamed Meziane upon a direct recommendation from energy minister Chakib Khelil.

• The dismissed director was in charge of supply department at Sonelgaz before Khelil had appointed as the energy minister. Then, he appointed her as an adviser in charge of training and reforms follow up.
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• Sonatrach’s CEO asked his assistants to submit a set of suggestions to replace subsidiaries’ chiefs who were appointed by Khelil and Sonatrach’s former CEO.
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• Meziane is under judicial supervision for corruption-related cases.
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• The dismissal decision came few days after the finance general inspecting department at the finance ministry had started investigating into training deals signed between Sonatrach, five star hotels located in Algiers and Oran (west of Algiers) and foreign institutes.
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• Investigations were also opened into virtual positions in Sonatrach’s head offices in Algiers and Hassi Messaoud.
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• Finance general inspecting department’s experts found out an important number of virtual positions which have nothing to do with Sonatrach neither with its subsidiaries in Algeria. The holders of those positions earn high salaries while other people benefit from salaries illegally abroad for different reasons.
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• The inspecting department discovered that those practices have existed at Sonatrach’s general department in Algiers for many years while human resources department did not move to notify security forces, the National Gendarmerie or justice about those cases.