‘Meet the people tour’, a distinct feature of Sultanate of Oman’s renaissance march saw its continuation as His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik met the shaikhs of the governorates of Al Dakhiliyah, Al Wusta and South Al Sharqiyah at Hisn Al Shumookh in the Wilayat of Manah.
Earlier, His Majesty met with the shaikhs in Dhofar.
At his first address to the nation, His Majesty Sultan Haitham had emphasised that he would continue the legacy of late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos and the development achieved under his judicious leadership and the solid principles on which he had set up the edifice on the modern date.
“Our only relief the best with which we can eternalise his achievements is to pursue his rightful legacy and derive impetus for the brilliant steps that he treaded in full confidence and determination, to preserve the gains that he made and to build upon them.”
In that address, he had stated, “People of Sultanate of Oman, the trust thrust on our shoulders and the resultant immense responsibilities require us all to work together for the sake of our country’s magnificence, with a persistent resolve to promote it to the loftiest levels. This cannot be realised without your support and cooperation, as well as the combination of all efforts to achieve the desired supreme national goal.”
The objective is to attain wider horizons of progress for the Omani Renaissance.
At the meeting with the shaikhs from Al Dakhiliyah and Al Wusta, His Majesty spoke about a number of development, economic and social projects.
In this interaction, he gave the Royal Vision for the governorates to play their roles and fulfil the responsibilities promulgating the governorates and municipal affairs aligned with Sultanate of Oman Vision 2040.
The announcement of RO 10 million to RO 20 million for each governorate for the current Five Year Plan, with effect from 2022 also indicates the growing role in the administration of the governorates as the governors are expected to present annual executive plans lining out the details on how the financial resources will be expended.
As per the new developments, it is the responsibility of the governors to follow up the execution of social and service projects in their governorates.
In this meeting, HM Sultan Haitham also issued the directives to provide appropriate financial support to Omani Women’s Associations as well as for the public and private rehabilitation centres in aid of people with disabilities, again highlighting the importance of these entities and their contribution to the society.
It was during the ‘Meet the People’ tour and Symposium on Omani Women that was held on the sidelines of the tour when Omani Women’s Day was declared by late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos in 2009.
When His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik held the meeting at Hisn Al Shumookh in the Wilayat of Manah with shaikhs of South Al Sharqiyah Governorate on January 9, 2022, the focus was on domestic issues as he said, “Sultanate of Oman is pressing ahead with its development plans and programmes in all fields, despite the challenges, with the prime objectives of realising sustainable growth and furnishing a prosperous present and future for all people, wherever they might be on this benign land.”
He urged the governorates and municipal councils to perform their national roles precisely as they are expected to do and instructed the bodies to ‘double their efforts to elevate the status of local community.’
Royal directives were given to the departments concerned in the Ministry of Finance, Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development and Oman Development Bank to find programmes that would encourage entrepreneurs and SMEs to have the potential to employ personnel as well as to encourage entrepreneurship in the various governorates noting that ‘the government will offer the incentives necessary for ensuring the success of those initiatives.’
During the open dialogue, the shaikhs presented requests for projects and development services for their respective wilayats.
An important development was the endorsement of the principle of government and citizens partnership while implementing projects that serve the public interest.
His Majesty Sultan Haitham also stressed the need to address difficulties that might come in the way of the march towards the domestic development.
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