PM opens development projects in Ajloun, Jerash and Mafraq

AMMAN — Prime Minister Hani Mulki on Monday laid the cornerstones for two garment factories in Jerash and Ajloun, and inaugurated a healthcare centre and a school in Mafraq.

The factory in Ajloun, 70km northwest of Amman, affiliated with Advanced Technology Company for Garments, will be built in Urjan region and create 250 jobs, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During the ceremony, Labour Minister Ali Ghezawi briefed Mulki about the factory, which is part of the government’s measures to generate jobs.

The factory’s operational cost will be JD480,000 funded by the Labour Ministry and the Employment Fund with the land made available by Oyoon Municipality.

The premier announced that the government has approved a project to build a town hall in Urjan and that the funding will be allocated in the public budget to be accomplished in 2018.

In Jerash’s Souf town, 48km north of Amman, Mulki laid the cornerstone for the Elephant Tusk factory, an Indian investment that will create around 500 jobs for the local community.

Investor Avishai Mahtani expressed his appreciation of the authorities’ support, stressing that Jordan can become a main garment exporter to Europe.

Ghezawi said that the government launched the National Programme for Empowerment and Employment last September with a funding of JD100 million to generate jobs for Jordanians across the Kingdom.

The government has plans to establish more than 52 production facilities with a cost of JD60 million, said the minister.

He noted the government’s measures aim to facilitate investment, in addition to providing training and empowerment for young people to enable them work at these factories, while providing 50 per cent of the minimum wage for one year, JD25 for transport and JD25 for social security subscription.

In Mafraq, 80km northeast of Amman, Public Works and Housing  Minister Sami Halaseh and Health Minister Mahmoud Sheyyab briefed Mulki on Sweilmeh healthcare centre, built on 1, 500sqm of land with a cost of JD200, 000.

The multi-specialties centre will contribute to improving the health services provided to the inhabitants of the region.

The premier also inaugurated Saud Al Qadi Public School in Hosha region.

The school’s situated on 5, 000sqm area is built with a cost of JD2.25 million.

The school consists of 19 classrooms, a vocational training workshop, laboratories and a 200-seat theatre, in addition to outdoor facilities.

The prime minister also checked on a project of solar energy in Hosha , which is an investment of a consortium of the US and the UAE companies with the Social Security Corporation.