Customs director put to retirement following fatal fire

AMMAN — The Council of Ministers on Thursday decided to refer Jordan Customs Department Director General  Munther Assaf to retirement. 

The decision will go into force as of October 30, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

On Wednesday, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister and acting Finance Minister Ibrahim Saif said the government takes full responsibility for the fire which occurred at  an Amman Customs yard on Monday, describing it as a “grave mistake”.

The minister made the remark at a meeting with the Lower House Integrity Committee, stressing that the government should take full responsibility for the tragic incident.

The fire erupted at one of the Amman Customs Department's yards on October 26 after two fireworks containers exploded. 

All casualties were workers at the yard from Jordan and Egypt.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Integrity Committee Chairperson MP Mustafa Rawashdeh stressed that the government should take full responsibility for what happened and take action to prevent the reoccurrence of such incidents, describing the regulations banning the import of fireworks as inadequate. 

Other MPs called for the resignation of the government and the officials in charge, including Assaf. 

The government pledged to work to rectify related legislation to avert such incidents in the future, adding that it would move Amman customs premises to another site far from the city.