Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
The head of the Grand Egyptian Museum Authority has clarified the cause of cracks recently reported in the exterior flooring of the museum, assuring the public that the issue is neither structural nor unexpected and will be fully resolved without cost to the state.
Speaking during a phone interview on the television programme al-Hekaya on MBC Masr, CEO Ahmed Ghoneim said the cracks resulted from extraordinary pressure placed on the flooring during preparations for the museum’s high-profile opening ceremony. He explained that the works involved the construction of a large-scale stage and decorative installations, as well as the frequent movement of heavy vehicles transporting timber, equipment, and technical infrastructure.
“These floors were not designed to bear that kind of load,” Ghoneim said, stressing that the damage had been anticipated given the intensity of the preparations.
Under the terms of its contract, the construction company responsible for the works is required to repair the affected areas and restore the flooring to its original condition at no additional cost to the museum, Ghoneim said. He added that debris from the opening ceremony had already been removed three days earlier and that repair work would begin this week in full coordination with museum management.
The remarks came as officials also moved to address separate public concern sparked by a video circulating on social media that appeared to show rainwater falling inside the museum’s Grand Hall, near the iconic statue of King Ramses II.
In response, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the claims were misleading. Atef Moftah, the supervisor of the Grand Egyptian Museum project, confirmed that the rain posed no danger to the statue or the building.
Moftah said the statue of Ramses II would not be affected by the water and emphasized that the museum’s structure and internal spaces are in excellent condition. He added that the situation had been assessed by specialists and did not indicate any design or safety flaws.
Together, the statements aimed to reassure the public haven’t really reassured the public, who didn’t anticipate that the rain would leak form the ceiling of the one billion dollar Grand Egyptian Museum and in all fairness few are buying the rainwater excuse.
