Amman, Jan. 22 (Petra) – Lower House of Representatives Wednesday held a legislative session, chaired by Speaker Ahmad Safadi, in the presence of Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan and Cabinet members, to discuss the government’s responses to lawmakers’ inquiries.

During the session, MP Dima Tahboub asked about the government’s emergency plans and procedures to deal with any political and security developments adjacent to Jordan.

In his response, Interior Minister Mazen Faraya said: “Jordan’s military and security agencies have prepared the necessary plans to tackle any of these situations, which are considered confidential.”

Responding to another inquiry, he said the number of administrative detainees is 1,495 people in Jordan, stressing that this policy is based on the convicts’ information, adding that administrative governors dealt with 27,000 complaints in this regard last year.

The minister stressed that administrative detention is carried out based on “clear” reasons for people , who may affect public peace.

Meanwhile, Minister of Labor, Khaled Bakkar, said 288,000 expatriate workers have valid work permits in Jordan, while 53,000 others have expired permits after June 1, 2021.

MP Aref Sa’eeda, who popped the question on expat laborforce in Jordan, was surprised by the figures that speak of only 288,000 foreign workers in the Kingdom.

The lawmaker added that data of the Egyptian Embassy in Amman indicates the presence of 925,000 Egyptian workers in the Kingdom.

For his part, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh, in response to MP Khamis Attia, said the cost of generating electricity from Attarat project reaches 11 piasters per kilowatt, indicating that this tariff is “likely to increase or decrease according to the project’s operating rate.”

Kharabsheh noted Ministry of Energy “does not have a recent specialized study on the costs of exploiting Jordan’s oil shale, while a study will be conducted in this regard and its results will be announced.”
//Petra// AG
22/01/2025 15:54:30