Minister of Local Administration Walid Al-Masri said on Saturday that municipal debt has surpassed JD 630 million, noting that the total municipal budget is originally JD 420 million.
اضافة اعلان
Al-Masri added, during a discussion of the 2026 General Budget Bill with the Parliamentary Finance Committee, that globally, municipal debt margins do not exceed 25%, as is the case with salaries. However, in some Jordanian municipalities, salaries account for up to 75% of their budgets.
He pointed out that the ministry has developed a plan to ease the debt burden in cooperation with creditors, by repaying it according to agreed-upon schedules.
Al-Masri also explained that municipalities are supported through fuel revenues. He noted that JD 110 million of municipal debt is owed to contractors, which the government has assumed.
The minister added that the ministry maintains a municipal investment observatory, allowing many investment opportunities to be offered, provided they are not managed directly by the municipalities.
He further stated that unpaid rental revenues from municipal projects amount to JD 30 million.
Al-Masri mentioned that international programs such as the Local Development Program funded by the World Bank, USAID, and JIZ have been halted, while only the European Union program supporting municipalities continues.
He spoke about the Azraq landfill, describing it as a fully “green” sanitary landfill, and noted that solid waste management needs reform, as countries worldwide have moved toward privatizing this sector.
The minister confirmed that the ministry will install solar power stations in the Safi and Mazra’a Valleys to provide electricity in those areas.
Al-Masri also highlighted that the ministry has succeeded in reducing the fly problem in the Jordan Valley.
Al-Mamlaka
