New mobile app aims to help improve municipal services in Irbid

IRBID — West Irbid Municipality on Saturday officially presented “Ballegh Baladytak,” (Inform Your Municipality) a new mobile app for Android phones. The app was developed as part of a campaign titled “Irbid Deeritna, Tekbar Bhemmitna” (Irbid is our hometown, it grows with our efforts), launched by a group of community-based organisations in Irbid, according to a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times by organisers.

According to Isam Shloul, head of West Irbid Municipality, Ballegh Baladytak will help document complaints received from citizens and activate a rapid response by the municipality. 

“You can easily notice the change after using the mobile app; we are accountable in front of the whole community, and we are responsible to act effectively and efficiently on any complaint that we receive.” 

Shloul said his municipality started testing and piloting the app in August 2014, “and the transformation is remarkable.”

Ballegh Baladytak allows citizens to take a picture or video of a service delivery problem in their neighbourhood and immediately send it to their municipality, where designated staff will receive it and pass it on to the concerned department. The web tool, consisting of a mobile app available on Google Store as well as a website (www.baladyehapp.com), provides an efficient and accurate mechanism to log service-related complaints, the statement said.

Since it is linked to Google Maps and to the municipality’s GIS system, the designated response team will be able to locate the problem precisely. By allowing all users to see all reported cases and municipalities’ replies, Ballegh Baladytak also provides a transparent new channel for two-way communication between citizens and their municipalities.

The application was developed by Spring Technologies, a local company that designed it with a view to reinforce municipalities’ mission to inform, connect with and better serve citizens. 

“This app gives you an abundance of out-of-the-box tools to bridge the communication gap with citizens and manage pending issues and requests,” said Spring Technologies CEO Razan Khatib. 

“Citizens can transparently see the status of their request, both sides — citizens and municipalities — are able to ask and receive feedback on a request or a case via a very user-friendly tool.” 

To make registration easier, users can also log in through Facebook and the only personal information they will have to provide is a profile name.

Ballegh Baladytak is a major component of the “Irbid Deeritna, Tekbar Bhemmitna” good governance advocacy campaign launched in June by 12 civil society organisations in Irbid Governorate, 80km north of Amman, and combining digital tools and social media with more traditional advocacy tactics.

The campaign is being supported by the Social Media | Social Action for Good Governance Programme, funded by the US Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and the Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative and implemented by the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX).

“Globally, major cities are increasingly using mobile applications to communicate with citizens and provide services more effectively,” the statement quoted IREX President Kristin Lord as saying. 

“Here in Jordan, where mobile penetration exceeds the population, this application offers citizens a new direct channel to engage their local government and in turn enables local officials to respond more efficiently,” Lord added. 

“The pilot phase has indicated that this mobile application can help enhance good governance practices at the local government level and promote active citizenship among local communities,” IREX Jordan Country Director Francesca Sawalha noted. 

During the month of December, Ballegh Baladytak is scheduled to be launched in another four Irbid municipalities: Greater Irbid, Al Mazar, Deir Abi Seid and Al Wasateyyeh.