HCMC – Party General Secretary To Lam has stressed the need to hold someone accountable for wastefulness brought by long-stalled investment projects.
Speaking at a group discussion at the ongoing National Assembly session in Hanoi today afternoon (October 26), the Party chief said national assets should be used efficiently to benefit the community.
“I and many others am very concerned and frustrated about the issue of wastefulness. Delayed projects can be easily found but it would be difficult to give an answer when asked by citizens,” he said.
Land in prime locations has been left vacant for decades, he noted, adding someone must take responsibility and that if it is not used as approved, it should be taken back.
A number of long-delayed projects Party General Secretary Lam pointed out include a VND10-trillion flood control project in HCMC, which has not been completed though it began construction in 2016 and was originally planned for completion in April 2018.
“Something must be done because leaving it as is constitutes a violation. Even if there is no embezzlement or corruption, it’s still a waste,” he said.
A decade has passed but the second campuses of Bach Mai and Viet Duc hospitals in Ha Nam Province have not been finished, leading to a substantial waste of state capital, he noted.
He said that if these projects had been privately funded, they might have already recouped their investment capital.
“I am extremely anxious. Delays are unacceptable. If we stand by, we’ll miss opportunities. The goal of Vietnam becoming a developed country by 2045 requires a roadmap and concrete steps. It won’t happen automatically,” he said, emphasizing that 1975 marked a new era when the country was unified. Today, the country has achieved numerous successes, yet in comparison, other nations have advanced rapidly, he added.
