Gov’t taking concrete measures to stimulate growth — PM

AMMAN — Prime Minister Hani Mulki on Thursday chaired a meeting of the ministerial economic team and the Economic Policies Council, during which they discussed final recommendations for various sectors to boost economic growth, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The meeting focused on the implementation of measures, plans and policies aimed at supporting economic sectors and stimulating growth to overcome challenges and boost the national economy's competitiveness.

The premier said the government had started taking concrete measures to boost growth in various vital sectors, citing the visits of the economic task force to companies and institutions that contribute to the Kingdom's gross domestic product. 

The government is serious in its efforts towards active public-private partnership, to encourage the private sector to contribute in the national growth, he noted. 

Also on Thursday,  the premier and the economic team members visited the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) and held a meeting with the company’s president of the board of directors, Khaldoun Qteishat, and its Director General Abdel Fattah Daradkeh.

Mulki said the company is a “strong” contributor to the economic activity, noting that the electric sector’s efficiency is directly tied to the national economic  efficiency. If the production in the energy sector increases, a direct increase will be witnessed in sectors using energy, he explained. 

NEPCO has a great potential for exportation, the prime minister said, adding that the electricity sector should be ready to contribute to the rebuilding process of neighbouring countries in accordance with national and international partnerships. Mulki underlined the recently Cabinet-endorsed draft law amending to the Penal Code that toughened punishments against electricity and water thefts, a phenomenon that authorties have been working to curb in the past few years. 

For his part, Qteishat discussed NEPCO’s latest results, its projects and challenges, in addition to its future plans aimed at coping with the population increase.