The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has reignited a heated political debate over the digital salary payment system known as MyAccount. Aziz Ahmad, Deputy Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, strongly criticized political opponents who challenged the initiative. He claimed their hypocrisy and misinformation delayed critical services for citizens.
The MyAccount system aims to modernize how public employees receive their salaries. By switching to electronic payments, the government hopes to prevent chaos like the recent crowding outside a bank in Halabja. There, pensioners and civil servants scrambled to collect their long-overdue salaries after nearly three months of non-payment.
Ahmad specifically named several political figures he accused of undermining MyAccount. He pointed to Shaswar Abdalwahid Qadir of the New Generation Movement, Srwa Abdulwahid from the parliament, and Ali Hama Saleh of the Helwest Movement. According to Ahmad, these individuals spoke out against the system in public while quietly benefiting from it in private.
“These politicians promoted falsehoods about MyAccount that were later exposed,” Ahmad stated. “At the same time, their own party members signed up and used the system.”
Ahmad also blamed commentators like Ghalib Mohammed, Ahmed Haji Rashid, and Hoshyar Abdullah for spreading misinformation. He said their claims directly harmed citizens by causing delays in adopting the new system, especially in the Sulaimani region.
“Teachers, doctors, pensioners, and police officers suffered because of this political double-dealing,” he said. “Citizens paid the price while these leaders acted selfishly.”
The recent financial panic in Halabja brought the issue to the forefront. Crowds rushed banks after delayed salaries were finally released. The disorder exposed how urgently reforms like MyAccount are needed. The government believes that digital payment systems can prevent such chaos and improve financial stability for civil servants.
Ahmad ended his statement with a sharp question. He asked who would take responsibility for misleading the public and causing harm. “Who will hold them to account?” he asked, putting pressure on those he sees as responsible for the disruption.
As the debate intensifies, the MyAccount initiative remains a flashpoint in the broader discussion about digital reform. The controversy highlights how politics can interfere with practical solutions, even when public well-being is at stake.