The Standing Committee for Anti-Corruption, Wastefulness, and Malpractice has agreed to place four cases showing signs of wastefulness under monitoring and direction: the Vicem Operations and Commercial Transaction Center developed by the Vietnam Cement Corporation (Vicem); Hoi Xuan Hydropower project in Thanh Hoa province; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) headquarters construction project; and Subproject 2 (Lim - Pha Lai), part of the Yen Vien – Pha  Lai - Ha Long - Cai Lan railway project.

These are all projects that have dragged on for years, remain unfinished, with only a small portion completed, and show signs of severe wastefulness.

The MOFA headquarters construction project, managed by the Ministry’s Project Management Board, was approved in July 2009 with total investment of VND3,484 billion.

It is a Group-A project, classified as a special-grade construction. The construction area spans 16,282 sq m with a total floor area of 126,282 sq m (excluding outdoor areas like parking, lawns, recreational sports zones, and internal roads).

Due to various factors such as fluctuations in material and construction supply prices, labor wages, and exchange rates, in July 2014, MOFA issued a decision approving an adjusted total investment for phase 1, raising it to nearly VND4,023 billion.

In a document providing feedback on a request for a special mechanism to address the project’s challenges, the Ministry of Construction (MOC) stated that the special mechanism proposed can only address immediate issues and cannot fully resolve or remove the current difficulties.

“If the mechanism, as proposed in the submission, is applied rigidly to all contracts, it will lead to shortcomings in project management, investment cost management, causing waste, asset loss, and reduced investment efficiency,” the MOC document noted.

Yen Vien – Pha Lai – Ha Long - Cai Lan railway project stalled 

The truncated bridges belong to the Yen Vien – Pha Lai – Ha Long – Cai Lan railway project, with total investment of VND7,665 billion.

Started in 2005, the project was expected to be completed by early 2012, but in 2011, it was forced to delay progress.

The project was halted under the Government Resolution No 11 dated February 24, 2011, on key measures to curb inflation, stabilize the macroeconomy, and ensure social welfare. However, some items, including the aforementioned railway bridges, had already been built. At these sites, bridge foundations stand exposed, with rusted steel visible.

A representative from the Bac Ninh Department of Transport said these bridges run through Bac Ninh but are under the management of the Ministry of Transport, not local authorities.

The Ministry of Transport (now the Ministry of Construction) is studying adjustments to the pre-feasibility study report to serve as a basis for investment in the 2026-2030 period.

Hoi Xuan Hydropower unfinished 

Launched in 2010, the hydropower project in Quan Hoa, Thanh Hoa has a total investment of over VND3,320 billion and a capacity of 102 MW, featuring three turbine units with an average annual output of over 432 million kWh. The project is led by VNECO Hoi Xuan Investment and Power Construction JSC.

It was expected that the first electricity generation unit would become operational in September 2014.

The Ministry of Finance provided a guarantee for a foreign loan worth $125 million in 2015.

However, from 2014 to 2018, the project slowed to a crawl. From 2018, it was shelved due to a lack of funds.

In September 2022, VNECO resumed the project implementation and committed to complete the project and put it into operation by the end of the first quarter 2024.

However, the Ministry of Industry and Trade later said that VNECO had only submitted the financial plan to increase capital to continue executing other items of the project.

Trillion-VND building “left bare” on Hanoi golden land

The Vicem Operations and Transaction Center project, initiated in 2010, has an adjusted total investment of over VND2,743 billion. The tower features 31 above-ground floors and 4 basements.

Its goal was to build Vicem’s headquarters, member unit offices, an auditorium, and commercial services. Construction began in May 2011, and by August 2015, the rough structure was completed.

The Vicem Operations and Transaction Center tower at Lot 10E6, Cau Giay New Urban Area (Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi), sits in a prime location on Ring Road 3, next to the Keangnam building.

However, since 2015, the project, located at Lot 10E6, Cau Giay New Urban Area (Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi), in a prime location on Ring Road 3, next to the Keangnam building, has been shelved.

Agencies have found the project had numerous infractions causing particularly severe loss and waste of state assets.

Tam An