PM launches series of Royal initiatives in Irbid, Ajloun

AMMAN — Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Bisher Al Khasawneh, in the presence of Royal Court Chief Yousef Issawi, on Saturday announced the launch of a package of Royal initiatives in Irbid and Ajloun governorates.

Khasawneh, during a meeting with community leaders in Irbid, said, said that these initiatives, launched following His Majesty King Abdullah's directives, include building 100 houses for underprivileged families, establishing five schools, public parks and a health centre in Ramtha District's Masarrah area, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The premier said that the initiatives include establishing a packing centre for agricultural produces, addressing the problem of the tomato paste factory in the Jordan Valley, providing Muath Bin Jabal Hospital with a magnetic resonance imaging device, rehabilitating the Himmeh area for tourists and rehabilitating a centre for people with disabilities in the Sahel Houran area of Ramtha District. 

In Ajloun, Khasawneh met with governorate dignitaries in the presence of Issawi, ministers and MPs and senators and launched several Royal initiatives.

The premier said that the Royal initiatives in Ajloun include building 100 houses for underprivileged families and three health centres in the Urjan, Sanaar and Shafa areas.

The Royal initiatives also included establishing a factory and providing it with buses, in addition to other productive schemes for youth in the governorate within the Ajloun business incubator that has been established under a Royal initiative. 

The field visits to Irbid and Ajloun are in implementation of His Majesty King Abdullah’s directives to launch Royal initiatives and communicate with local residents, the PM said.

The premier highlighted the impacts of the regional situation and the COVID-19 pandemic on the state budget, noting that the budget mainly relies on tax revenues, in light of the absence of foreign assistance.

One of the reasons for the limited access to foreign assistance is Jordan's positions, notably the Hashemite Custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, besides the Kingdom’s stance in support of the Palestinian cause and the right of the Palestinians to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, he said.

The prime minister also said that the government, in the coming weeks, will gradually announce lifting of pandemic-related restrictions.

The planned measures include cutting the number of daily COVID tests with the aim “moving to the stage of coexistence with the pandemic and its variants in addition to lifting all restrictions on all sectors, notably tourism”, the PM said.

He noted that the measures aim to ease procedures related to PCR tests and boost the arrival of tourists to the Kingdom.

Khasawneh also visited the new Iman Government Hospital project in Ajloun governorate, stressing the need to complete works at the 11-storey, 200-bed facility, and operating it initially by early July to be fully operational by the end of the year.