PM orders setting maximum allowance for gov’t representatives on company boards

AMMAN — Prime Minister Hani Mulki on Thursday directed Finance Minister Omar Malhas to review the amount of money paid to government representatives for their membership on boards of directors of state-owned companies.

The premier called for identifying a maximum allowance for such members, to be considered by the ministry, and to return the surplus money to the Treasury, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to transfer all allowances and bonuses received by government officials for representing the state on the boards of companies to a special fund at the Finance Ministry.

The collected amount will be distributed evenly among all representatives, even when a certain official represents the government in more than one company board.

Also on Thursday, Mulki directed all ministries and independent public institutions and departments to completely abide by regulations stipulating not to appoint any employee, whether through a salary or an allowance, outside the structures of public sector employment, Petra added.

The prime minister tasked the Audit Bureau with following up on these instructions and not to disburse any financial dues for people who are hired after the decision, and asked the agency to report any violation.

The decision is aimed at ensuring the government’s commitment to rationalising and controlling expenditure. 

The decision, among other similar ones, follows directives by His Majesty King Abdullah to reduce public expenditure, including reductions in the financial benefits of senior officials. 

The directives came as the government was mulling plans to impose additional taxes to secure JD450 million, as part of a plan to narrow the budget deficit.