The Municipal Council in Tripoli issued a statement confirming that, from the first moments of the tragedy that befell the city and its residents, it did not hesitate to use all its capabilities and working crews in order to control the scale of the crisis, stressing that it carried out its responsibilities to the fullest extent, and even more than what was required of it.
The statement explained that the amount of burdens accumulated over many years exceeds the capacity and capabilities of the municipality, reiterating its call on the Lebanese government to bear its full responsibilities, stressing at the same time that the municipal council has not and will not evade its responsibilities.
He also added that the Council had previously alerted the Lebanese government to its responsibilities, but to no avail, and the matter was limited to promises that could no longer be expected. As a result, the Municipal Council announced its collective resignation to the Minister of the Interior, stressing that this step is not to shirk responsibility, but rather to place the government and its agencies fully responsibilities towards the current dangerous situation.
This step by the Municipality of Tripoli comes in the wake of the disaster of the building collapse in the Bab al-Tabbaneh area, and the resulting deaths and injuries, which brought to the surface the issue of buildings in danger of collapsing in the city, after a series of similar incidents, the most recent of which was the collapse of a building in the Qobba area during the past few weeks.
Since the collapse, Tripoli has witnessed a state of high alert by civil defense teams and the Lebanese Red Cross, in addition to official movements and political statements that hold the accumulated years of neglect and inaction responsible for the current situation, amid increasing calls for the state to assume its responsibilities in support, restoration, and providing shelter for affected families.
