Fuheis residents protest projected investments on cement factory site

FUHEIS — Several residents of Fuheis organised a protest on Saturday to object to a plan to turn a site used previously for a cement producing factory into an “urban hub” for investments. 

Founded in 1951, Lafarge Jordan was located in Fuheis, some 20km northwest of Amman, “causing pollution, illnesses and death to many of the town residents”, Fuheis resident Jamal Hattar charged. 

Hattar added the main aim of launching the company was to benefit the local community.

“During its 65 years producing cement in Fuheis, Lafarge has caused harm to the people living nearby, we have paid the price for it,” he told The Jordan Times.

As a result of the continuous objection of the residents, the factory decided to stop production, Hattar said.

“We were surprised to know that after that decision, they decided to sell the land to foreign investment companies, which will hold back the expansion of Fuheis,” he claimed.

For Hattar, allowing the decision to be implemented will “destroy the ambitions of the residents and those aspiring to build an urban city”.

 “We ask the government to take a stand with us since we have the right to build and expand our town,” he added.

Hanneh Salman, another resident, said Lafarge Jordan has “not provided the people with a clear plan” regarding the future of the land.

Salah Dawood, a member at the Jordanian Popular Committee, said the residents of Fuheis ask the government to guarantee the right of the people to their land and to review the irregularities in the company’s performance that caused environmental harm to the town. 

The committee member described the investment as “an attempt to marginalise” the local community.

Fuheis Mayor Hweish Akroush said the decision will affect both the residents of Fuheis and Mahes towns.

“We demanded that the factory close down… and in 2016, the France-based company took the decision to stop their production in Fuheis,” Akroush told The Jordan Times.

He added that the area’s infrastructure and green landscapes “cannot handle any investments”.

The mayor said the area of the land is around 2,000 dunums.

“For 65 years, we suffered from drought, dust and many diseases, it is time for Fuheis to breathe after they stopped the factory’s production,” he continued.

MP Dirar Daoud said the residents do not oppose hosting investments and projects, but argued that Lafarge Jordan is a company specialised in producing cement and should not deal with other investments.

“We support investments but without trespassing on the area and affecting the town’s demographics. We want the company to return the lands back to the state,” he told The Jordan Times.

Commenting on the plan, Salt Mayor Khaled Al Khashman said “more important” issues should be dealt with instead of launching new investments, including improving environmental conditions, rehabilitating the site and returning the lands back to the people of Fuheis.

Lafarge Jordan was not available to comment on the protest on Saturday despite several attempts by The Jordan Times, but in previous remarks, the CEO, Amr Reda, said the project seeks to launch a clean energy city for Fuheis residents. 

The project includes shopping malls and residential and commercial complexes, in addition to medical centres and restaurants.

He described the JD2 billion project as an opportunity for the local and regional community. 

The plan also aims at solving economic problems facing Fuheis factories, Reda said, noting that the Paris-headquartered leader in the cement and building solutions industry has the expertise and know-how to develop green schemes.

No date has been set for the project’s implementation, as the company sent an official letter to the Investment Commission in October 2015 informing them about the plan but has not received any response, the CEO told The Jordan Times.