Prime minister Marouf Bakhit assured that His Majesty King Abdullah directives to successive governments is to improve citizens living conditions and ensure that they feel the effect of development projects.
The prime minister made remarks during a meeting with residents and tribal leaders from Naour, Um Al Basateen and Hisban, with the attendance of ministers of municipal affairs and interior, Nader Theherat, and Eid Al Fayez, and Amman Governor Dr.Saed Al Wadi, to brief them on the Greater Amman Municipality expansion plan and its proposal to bring these areas under GAMs jurisdiction.
Bakhit also referred to a map that has been prepared on land use, in bid to eliminate the random distribution of urban areas and preserve the countrys agricultural land. He also referred to the Amman Master plan stressing that Naour is a natural extension of Amman and the area cannot but be under the jurisdiction of GAM.
Dr.Bakhit said the new ring road around the capital makes it necessary to develop and regulate the areas surrounding the road. He said the tender to implement the first phase of the project, which extends from Al Iasra University to the Military Collage Bridge in Zarka, has been floated.
In later phases, the project will extend north to Bireen, Shafa Bdran, Mubis and other areas such as BaderAl Jadidah, Marj Al Hamam, Naour and Um Al Basateen, Bakhit said; stressing that no licenses will be given to any projects on this highway. He said projects will be located in areas that are away from the highways services road.
Responding to concerns expressed by some citizens that inclusion in GAM would lead to a hike in taxes and fees, Bakhit said there will be no longer change for the next five years. He also stressed that the inclusion of these areas under GAM was solely for regulatory purposes, and had nothing to do with elections law and with the division of electoral directorates. During the meeting, the premier said alleviating poverty and unemployment tops his governments priorities, highlighting the importance of changing the thinking of society to favor vocational professions that are in demand in the labor market. He also called on citizens to vote in the coming municipal and parliamentary elections.