Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The Minister of Labour, Ali Zahir al-Ghazzawi, has stated that the Ministry of Labour has completed the quarterly assessment of the National Empowerment and Employment Programme (NEEP), which was launched by the Government in early September of last year. This programme aims to empower and employ Jordanians in the following key sectors: manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, construction, services (day cares) and energy (gas stations). It provides subsidies to the private sector for job creation and for an increase of the Jordanians’ share in the workforce of the participating companies.

Al-Ghazzawi further stated that the indicators are extremely positive, and that the work plan to implement the programme is heading in the right direction, indicating that the Government of Jordan has allocated close to 100 million JOD, for the next five years, to implement the programme.

Al-Ghazzawi pointed out that through the programme, the share of migrant workers in the targeted sectors will be reduced by 10-25% for each year for the next 5 years. The programme was designed mainlybased on the principle of empowering jobseekers throughon-the-job training through a close partnership with the private sector.

Al-Ghazzawi said that 20 agreements and memorandums of understandingwith sectors ‘organizationsfor the implementation of this Programme. While the previous parties will manage the programme, the Ministry of Labour, via ETVET,will finance the programme according to the signed agreement and MOUsfor the next five years.

Al-Ghazzawihas further indicated that the programme has focused on the mechanization of some professions in the sectors with high percentages ofmigrant labour - such as the construction sector, and in the agriculturesector - in order to improve the job contents and attract more Jordanians.

The programmeimplementation will rely on a Programme Support Unit (PSU) established in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to follow up on the implementation of the Programme, and to reflect on the knowledge generated through the implementation process. The NEEP will also be supported by an Advisory Committee composed of relevant international partners and technical experts that will provide inputs for its implementation.

Al-Ghazzawistressed that “job creation for Jordanians is a key policy priority for the stability of the country, and no effort should be spared. This objective can only be reached with the full commitment of the private sector to take an active part in the partnership offered by the Ministry”. He also said “Decent work is at the core of job creation in Jordan, and we will ensure it remains a reality for Jordanians, Syrians and Migrants”.

For his part, Director of TVETFund Haytham Al-Khasawneh said that 26 million JOD were allocated this year to finance the NEEP activities.Al-Khasawnehfurther stated that the government will allocate more funds to the TVET Fund to establish productive branches in various governorates, especially in remote areas, in order to provide employment opportunities for unemployed Jordanian workers, especially for women in remote and impoverished areas.