Administrative reviews target Iraqi state-owned banks amid liquidity crisis and delayed salary payments

Administrative reviews target Iraqi state-owned banks amid liquidity crisis and delayed salary payments

2026-08-26

Shafaq News – Baghdad
An informed source revealed on Wednesday that comprehensive administrative assessments are being conducted in a number of government banks and financial institutions linked to the financial and economic sectors, coinciding with the financial crisis and the delay in paying employee salaries. The source indicated that files have been opened regarding the waste of public funds, the decline in liquidity, and information and reports that he described as “misleading” submitted by some departments to officials.

The source told Shafaq News Agency that the relevant government agencies are conducting performance evaluations of a number of bank administrations and government financial institutions, in conjunction with administrative changes and the opening of files related to incidents that caused the waste of public funds and the spread of corruption, as well as investigating the reasons for and outcomes of the financial liquidity that was available in government banks, in preparation for taking the necessary legal and administrative measures.

He added that the assessments also focus on the ability of some departments to support and assist the government in facing current financial challenges, as well as the level of digital transformation in financial institutions, noting that the continued reliance on paper systems and traditional procedures instead of electronic and digital systems is one of the issues that concerns the relevant authorities.

The source explained that some bank and financial institution administrations submit information, reports, and statistics to officials that do not reflect, according to him, the actual reality of the work of those institutions, while field monitoring reveals a large gap between what is stated in the official reports and the performance on the ground, stressing that this file is subject to auditing and review within the ongoing evaluations.

He pointed out that there is a trend to make administrative changes in a number of banks and government institutions whose management has been in place for about four years, with the possibility of replacing some officials with new competencies with experience and expertise, which will contribute to raising the efficiency of performance and strengthening the role of financial institutions in supporting the economy and addressing financial challenges.

The source indicated that the assessments are not limited to administrative aspects, but also include the efficiency of resource and liquidity management, the level of governance, the accuracy of data and reports submitted to higher authorities, and the extent to which financial institutions are able to keep pace with digital transformation and provide more efficient banking services.

He stressed that these measures come within a governmental direction to reassess the performance of government financial institutions and enhance efficiency, governance and reliance on digital systems, in line with the requirements of the current stage, especially in light of the financial challenges and the delay in paying salaries, while emphasizing the need for official reports and data to reflect the actual reality of the institutions’ performance and financial conditions.

This comes in conjunction with what an informed source revealed yesterday, Tuesday, about the possibility of delaying the payment of state employees’ salaries until the end of this month or the beginning of next month, attributing this to the failure to release the funding for ministries and state institutions so far, despite the end of the month.

The source explained in a statement to Shafaq News Agency that the process of funding and disbursing salaries is carried out for each ministry and institution separately and sequentially, which takes several days and delays the completion of the disbursement process for all employees.

He pointed out that a number of government banks are facing a shortage of cash liquidity as a result of the decline in their cash assets, which limits their ability to provide financing or enter into domestic borrowing operations.

The source added that the absence of credit plans related to the work of some government banks, along with weak management in a number of them, contributed to the decline in the level of banking services, as well as the decrease in withdrawal and deposit activity, which negatively affects the levels of available liquidity.

He stressed that addressing the liquidity crisis requires strengthening the cash assets of government banks and revitalizing banking and credit operations, in addition to developing clear plans to support the banks’ ability to finance the needs of state institutions and ensure the smooth disbursement of salaries on time.

shafaq.com