Abu Dhabi: Thousands of workers in the capital are expected to take up residence within special cities outside the main island, a senior executive has said.
Mohammad Hassan Al Qamzi, chief executive officer of ZonesCorp, said that the residential cities for minimum-wage workers have all the required facilities, including training workshops.
"These workers have helped us develop this country. It is important that we give them the kind of living they deserve, and a living facility where they are not only comfortable but where they can develop civic values that they can take away when they leave. This is our aim. So we have moved to transfer the workers to these labour complexes," Al Qamzi said.
Target group
ZonesCorp is the government-backed organisation that administers specialised economic zones in the emirate, and is in charge of the workers' residential ‘villages', which provide housing for low-income, single workers.
"We want to accommodate only single workers. This is our targeted group, and we want to give them a real place to live and socialise in," Al Qamzi said, adding that the residential complexes would not provide accommodation for families.
He told Gulf News that 60,000 workers are currently housed at the ZonesCorp-administered villages. Each complex in the villages allows a maximum of 10 people per room, with bedspace being priced at Dh390 a month.
"We offer bedspace, housekeeping, maintenance and security at this price. However, some villages have other facilities too, like catering by licensed providers, which can change the price of the package for a company," Al Qamzi explained.
He said that the price had been set based on market demand.In addition to the current villages, which provide accommodation largely for male workers in the construction sector, Al Qamzi said ZonesCorp is also looking into providing accommodation for low-paid female workers.
"We are aware that low-paid female workers want to relocate to our residential cities. We are looking at developing areas for them too."
