Lower House discusses 11 questions to government in oversight session

AMMAN — The Lower House, in an oversight session on Wednesday, discussed 11 questions that had been directed to the government.

MPs Khalil Attia and Saleh Al Armouti decided to turn their questions about the economic impact of Friday lockdowns and the Attarat project into an inquiry, while Deputy Haitham Ziadin postponed the discussion of his question, to be addressed in a session attended by the Chief Commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA).

Criticising the government’s failure to present a study on the impact of Friday lockdowns, MP Attia highlighted that the costs are estimated at more than JD200 million, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply Maha Al Ali during the session highlighted the government’s anti-coronavirus efforts, notably “Estidama” programme, besides allowing the industry sector’s workforce to work inside their institutions during the blanket curfew, as well as excluding trucks from the lockdown to maintain supply chains.

Minister of Finance Mohamad Al-Ississ said that work suspension of businesses and public institutions, as well as the lockdowns due to pandemic, have led to a drop in local revenues by some JD715 million during the first 11 months of 2020, compared with the same period in 2019. 

Responding to Armouti’s question, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Hala Zawati  said that the two cases related to the Attarat project are still pending due to arbitration, noting that the rules require the disclosure of all documents requested by the opponent, including any correspondence or recordings made in the House of Representatives on the dispute referred to arbitration.

In reply to MP Ziadin’s question, the ASEZA board revealed that the authority's revenues generated from the truck transit project have amounted to JD5.6 million since the project’s launch in 2008 by Nafez Logistics, while the total value of the project’s revenues amounted to about JD43 million. It also pointed out that the ASEZA’s portion of revenues totalled 15 per cent.

Answering a question by MP Mohammed Amalqah, Minister of Public Works and Housing Yahya Kisbi said that the ministry will float the tender for expanding Al Ardah Road within two months, at the expense of a $31-million Chinese grant, after obtaining the donor’s approval on the project’s studies.

Kisbi, in response to MP Aid Neimat, said that the tender for Maan Military Hospital was refloated because the minimum bid totalled JD48 million, while the allocated amount is JD35 million, pointing out the number of service buildings included in the original tender has been reduced to match the allocations, adding that the amount was increased to JD 37.5 million, to include the tender for supervision.

During the session, Health Minister Nathir Obeidat pledged to consider the establishment of a new hospital in Marka region, Petra added.

Responding to MP Fawaz Zu’bi, health minister said that the cost of the three field hospitals totalled some JD24 million, while the field hospital in Aqaba will be implemented via a UAE-grant.

In response to a question from Deputy Khaled Al Shloul, the minister said that all manufacturers providing COVID-19 vaccines have asked all countries to shoulder financial and therapeutic responsibilities resulting from the vaccines’ side effects, noting that these companies argued that they sell vaccines at a cost without looking for any profit.

He added that the companies’ conditions included a vaccine injury compensation, to be provided by the countries.