Secretary Assistant of the Greater Amman Municipality, Engineer Ismael Ustah said that the win last of the King Abdullah II Award for Excellence by GAM is one of the main orientations for any future development strategies or policies at the municipality.
In an interview with the Media Center at GAM, Ustah said that the King Abdullah Award has propelled further responsibilities on GAM to review the quality of its services and action plans to ensure their compliance with the international standards and qualifications. With this, he said, GAM is working on a clear vision for the coming stage to make sure its services and programs meet the public expectations.
Ustah said that GAM is now identifying the points of weakness at its human resources, where it can enhance the quality of performance at many of GAM departments and provide the proper training for those who need it.
Ustah announced that GAM is working on a study to support the GAM Employees Club, by providing social and cultural facilities for its members as small token from the municipality towards its employees to show sincere dedication and loyalty concerning the institution they serve in. Such facilities and services include entertaing activities, religious trips to Saudi Arabia, building kindergarten for the children of GAM women staff, and providing scholarships for the distinguished students who are sons and daughters of GAM employees.
Ustah went on saying that GAM would soon enhance its communications with the citizens in Amman, both in direct and indirect manners. Such steps aim to bridge the gap between the municipality and the end-users of its services. He pointed out that the General Divan and Citizen Guidance Department is applying a special system to receive and process the public complaints and resolve them consequently.
Ustah also said that GAM is currently working on a promising project titled “Memory of the Institution”, which aims to enhance the exchange of know-how and expertise among GAM employees, and to make a special inventory for all of GAM achievements that will serve the future generations of staff at the municipality. The new project also applies a strategic analysis for the knowledge-based maps and assets at the municipality.
Ustah said that GAM aims to develop the qualifications of its staff by reviewing their performance on regular basis, and enhance the premium remuneration among the employees according to their distinguished performance and achievements.
On the financial side, Ustah said that the 2006 budget of GAM involves each year JD 150,000 in support of training and rehabilitation courses for employees. He said that an annual training plan for 2005 is currently reviewed for 2006 to organize training courses for staff members in terms of services and working procedures. Ustah said that GAM might raise the allotment in the next year.
Ustah said that GAM is working closely with a number of public institutions, including the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, the Housing and Urban Development Corporation, the Civil Service Consumer Corporation, the Vocational Training Corporation, and the Jordan Central Bank, to take lessons from the win by GAM of the King Abdullah II Award for Excellence.