Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has ordered more than Dh6.5 billion development projects for the northern emirates, Ahmad Juma Al Za’abi, Deputy Minister of Presidential Affairs, said on Sunday.
“Work on more than 51 per cent of the 125 development projects, meant to lift the quality of life of citizens across the country, has been completed at the end of October,” Al Za’abi said.
Some 63 housing projects, seven major hospitals, seven dams, 35 road projects, three mosques, four ports, three power supply and water projects and three sanitary drainage projects are part of the Dh6.5 billion package of projects decreed for the northern emirates by Shaikh Khalifa, Al Za’abi told a news conference held at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs.
Some 42 , or the major chunk of the projects, approved by the Follow up Committee of the Initiatives of the UAE President, are being carried out in Ras Al Khaimah at a total cost of more than Dh2.4 billion.
Sharjah has the second largest portion or 22 per cent of the projects at a total cost of more than 1.6 billion. Fujairah came third with 25 projects at a total cost of more than Dh1.4 billion, while Umm Al Quwain has 15 projects worth more than Dh432 million. A Dh6.9 million is also being implemented in Dubai.
A raft of development projects have been approved for Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, including the construction of a new specialist accident and emergency hospital.
“The Ras Al Khaimah Specialist Hospital will open in the next few days,” Al Za’abi said.
The President’s keen interest in lifting the quality of life of citizens was also earlier highlighted by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice- President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
“The philosophy of Shaikh Khalifa is centred on the human being, since every human being has a value, every citizen is a priority, everyone deserves to live a dignified life, every woman deserves to achieve her ambitions, every patient deserves to have medical treatment, every family has the right to be housed, everyone deserves to take his rights,” Shaikh Mohammad wrote in an article tiled “Thank You Khalifa” in January.
“Shaikh Khalifa finds all this to be his responsibility, duty and a priority on his agenda. Khalifa is an international unique leader, different, successful and loved by his people,” Shaikh Mohammad said.
Al Za’abi said the projects being implemented across the country include infrastructure, housing, health, education, environment and fish resources.
The Follow up Committee approved the Dh12.5 million Shaikh Khalifa Accident and Trauma Hospital being built in Sharjah.
The hospital is one of several new health-care facilities Shaikh Khalifa ordered to be built bearing his name. Similar projects have been completed in Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain.
It would help reduce patient numbers at Sharjah’s Al Qasimi Hospital and Ajman’s Shaikh Khalifa hospital, both of which handle massive numbers of road accident victims.
A Dh16.5 million waste treatment and sewerage facility in Ras Al Khaimah would be used to irrigate plants as part of the national water sustainability strategy to make better use of water resources.
