Jordan Times
Monday, April 10, 2006
Gov't working on development projects in Maan — King
Maan community leaders on Sunday appealed to King Abdullah to pardon a group of residents of the city convicted in a 2002 deadly riots case. During a Royal Court meeting, King Abdullah told the notables the government was working on development projects in Maan to help alleviate poverty and unemployment as well as improve living conditions. “We have a strategy tailored for Maan,” the King told the notables, “and we have several ideas for projects there.” King Abdullah added the government was sincerely working to improve the living conditions of the area, which ranks among the three poorest governorates, along with Mafraq and Ajloun. The Monarch reiterated that the new generation should focus on “quality education” to meet the needs of labour market and contribute to the development of the country. A government team will visit the area soon to set priorities to address problems in Maan, the King said. Representatives of Maan, meanwhile, outlined their governorate's needs, calling in particular for accelerating work to set up a land port, upgrade the state-run hospital in the town of Maan, improving municipal and health services as well as education.