The Regie’s chairman and general manager, Eng. Nassif Seklaoui, honored the employees of the Financial Directorate, with special recognition given to Fahim Barakat and Hiam Farhat from the Accounting Department, and to Lina Karnib from the Procurement Department.
The ceremony was held in the presence of Board Members Eng. Georges Hobeika and Imad Bissat, Government Commissioner to the Regie Mirna Baz, Financial Auditor Carol Youssef, Financial Director Wael Dargham, Accounting Department Head Boutros Keryakos, and Procurement Department Head Barbara Nemer.
Seklaoui thanked the employees of the Financial Directorate for their “efforts and continuous commitment,” saying: “Your work may not always be visible, but it is essential and indispensable,” stressing that “finance is not merely numbers,” and that this Directorate is “a strategic partner in every decision” made by the Regie. “I am aware of the daily pressure you face, yet you have played a major role in all of the Regie’s achievements,” he added.
After highlighting that one of the key reasons behind the institution’s success lies in “the common vision, the common stance and the cohesion within the team,” Seklaoui outlined major achievements, including “a 15% increase in industrial production and a revenue growth exceeding 20%.
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He also said that the Regie “has received all tobacco crops from farmers, and that a genuine relationship was established between the farmers and the Regie.”
He explained that the Regie has adopted “a permanent social policy toward tobacco- and tunbac-growing villages and towns, particularly those along the border areas,” noting that this policy has so far covered “83 towns across southern and northern Lebanon, and the Bekaa.”
He also recalled that last year’s celebration marking the Regie’s 90th anniversary was held “in a manner befitting the significance of the occasion and saw broad national participation,” and mentioned the release of a commemorative book documenting the Regie’s “journey,” the inauguration of a hybrid power plant, and the organization of the Manchar Souwar exhibition, which conveyed a vivid image of the farmers.
Seklaoui then described the effectiveness of the Anti-Trafficking Unit as “unlimited,” and affirmed that “its relationship with the Regie’s Union of Employees and Workers, as well as with tobacco farmers’ unions, is complementary.
“We will never forget the statement of His Excellency President Joseph Aoun, who called on other institutions to follow the Regie’s example, nor the statement of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri during the 90th anniversary celebration,” he added.
“We also deeply appreciate Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s support, which he has shown us on several occasions.”
“As for the Financial Directorate, it has accomplished a number of key achievements,” he said. “It has most notably:
• Strengthened liquidity management to ensure business continuity, maintaining 99% of cash holdings in fresh funds.
• Facilitated and accelerated the payment for tobacco crops to farmers through money transfer companies such as OMT and BOB Finance.
• Provided financial assistance to employees and retirees through money transfer companies during the Israeli war on Lebanon.
• Maintained attendance and commitment during the Israeli war on Lebanon despite difficult conditions.
• Facilitated and managed the collection of sales proceeds through coordination with certain banks, enabling heads of sales to deposit the value of their purchases directly into bank accounts.
• Completed the first phase of the Regie’s asset valuation and initiating the second phase of the project.
• Asked the Accounting Department staff to archive all documents in order to enhance transparency and facilitate access to information.
• Established policies and procedures for the Accounting Department, which are currently being implemented.”
Seklaoui then highlighted “the role of the Procurement Department, which had previously been honored for managing the institution’s purchases with transparency and high professionalism in order to secure the best and most suitable offers, and for using information systems that make it possible to track each transaction from its initiation to its payment.”
He also praised “the role of the IT Department, which spares no effort to ensure business continuity even under exceptional circumstances.”
“Trust and continuous development are essential,” he said.
“The more you strengthen your skills and expand your knowledge, the more our collective performance improves. Taking initiative, proposing new ideas and adopting modern technologies all make our work more effective and impactful.”
“True success can only be achieved through team spirit. Each of you has an important role, and every task you perform contributes to the success of others. Mutual respect and cooperation are what make the Financial Directorate a model of teamwork,” he added.
He urged everyone “to continue delivering results with dedication and a sense of belonging, while promoting a culture of excellence and teamwork.”
Dargham
As for Financial Director Wael Dargham, he considered the ceremony as “an acknowledgmentof collective efforts carried out with responsibility and dedication.”
He outlined the Financial Directorate’s major achievements, mentioning that it had “strengthened liquidity management to ensure business continuity, facilitated and accelerated the payment for tobacco crops to farmers through money transfer companies, provided financial assistance to employees and retirees through money transfer companies during the Israeli war on Lebanon, and maintained attendance and commitment despite difficult conditions.”
“We also worked to facilitate and manage the collection of sales proceeds through coordination with certain banks, enabling heads of sales to deposit the value of their purchases directly into bank accounts,” he added.
He also pointed to “the completion of the first phase of the Regie’s asset valuation and the launch of the second phase of the project,” explaining that “once the project finalized, the Regie will become the first public institution in Lebanon to present financial statements reflecting its true financial status.”
He then said that “the Accounting Department staff archived all documents in order to enhance transparency and facilitate access to information,” noting that “several policies and procedures were established for the Accounting Department and are currently being implemented.”
“We must also shed light on the role of the Procurement Department, which you had previously honored for managing the institution’s purchases with transparency and high professionalism in order to secure the best and most suitable offers, and for using information systems that make it possible to track each transaction from its initiation to its payment,” he continued. These transactions include 1,400 purchase requests, more than 45 tenders and invitations to bid, and 435 purchase orders, among others.
Under the IT Department’s “watchful eye,” said Dargham, “our team, together with the contractor’s team, spares no effort to ensure to ensure business continuity even under exceptional circumstances and beyond working hours, providing not only support, but also good infrastructure and software.”
He also noted that “Several policies and procedures have been established for the IT Department and are currently being implemented, and work is underway to develop software in order to achieve full automation.”