Complaints against public agencies up by 10% in Q1

AMMAN — The public filed more complaints against the quality of services offered by government agencies during the first quarter of this year when compared to the same period of last year, according to official data.

A report issued by the Ministry of Public Sector Development that was e-mailed to The Jordan Times on Sunday, indicated that the number of complaints between January and March of this year reached 337, which is 10 per cent higher than the 308 complaints registered during the same period of 2015. 

In the first quarter of this year, people filed complaints against 36 public institutions, while in the first three months of 2015 a total of 43 agencies were listed. 

The ministry's report was referred to Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour. 

Minister of Public Sector Development Khleef Al Khawaldeh said 92 per cent of the complaints were received through phone calls, while the rest through the form posted on the ministry's website. 

The majority of complaints were over the level of services provided by the education, health, environment and municipal affairs ministries; the Greater Amman Municipality; the Social Security Corporation; the Jordan Water Company (Miyahuna); the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission; the Land Transport Regulatory Commission; the Water Authority of Jordan; the Civil Service Bureau; and the Civil Status and Passports Department, the minister said.

Complaints against these agencies represented 73 per cent of the overall number of complaints lodged through the ministry, Khawaldeh said. 

According to the minister, Amman remained at the top of the list, with 49.3 per cent of the complaints made by the residents of the capital, followed by Zarqa (9.2 per cent) and Irbid (8.9 per cent). 

Khawaldeh said 94 per cent of the complaints, or 315 out of 337, were addressed by government agencies. 

Most of the complaints were related to employees commitment to working hours, lack of cadres, private education, public transport fares, unpaved roads, garbage accumulation, water supply disruptions, damage to water networks, power outage and work injuries.

The public can call the specialised unit that receives feedback on 06/5008080 to lodge their complaints against government agencies, or fill an online form on the ministry's website: www.mopsd.gov.jo.