MUSCAT, JULY 4
A total of around RO 80 million in outstanding payments to private sector contractors were settled by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology during the first half of this year. According to a key official, the payouts represent a 100 per cent increase over sums paid during the corresponding period of 2022.
Fahd bin Salem al Hinai (pictured), Director General of Administrative and Financial Affairs, said the payments reflect a commitment by the Ministry to settle all private sector dues expeditiously.
The payments were made for various projects, including road construction, maintenance, and repairs caused by heavy rains, as well as digital transformation initiatives in the communications and information technology sector, he said. At the same time, the ministry also received RO 20 million in revenues during the same period.
Commenting on other initiatives during the first half of the year, the official said the Ministry conducted a total of 53 programs and workshops benefiting over 520 employees in the specialized, general administrative, technical, and leadership fields.
Al Hinai also mentioned the ministry's commitment to community service. The Human Resources Development Department of the ministry's Directorate provided approximately 28 free seats for public sector employees. These seats were dedicated to programs related to the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology's specializations and the requirements of the market. The department aimed to transfer knowledge and foster the exchange of experiences.
Also as part of the ministry's initiatives, the "Naqla" project was launched, alongside "MTCIT Talks" workshops and the "Naqla Tours" program. The latter initiative allows ministry employees to visit important sites, such as Port Sultan Qaboos, mining labs, and Transom offices.
To motivate its employees, the ministry implemented various incentive programs. Over 265 employees, both male and female, benefited from programs such as the "Employee of the Month" and the "Thank You Cards" program during the first half of 2023.
The Human Resources Department introduced the "Maward Plus" program, which manages human resources within the ministry. This system facilitates administrative and financial transactions, as well as provides self-service options like leave requests, resignations, transfers, salary slips, official assignments, service terminations, and more. By using technology and reducing paper usage, the system offers a unified electronic database, simplifying procedures, generating reports and statistics, and supporting strategic planning and cost reduction.
Furthermore, the documentation building and the unified hall building (auditors' services hall) were completed and opened, and a multi-storey parking building with 900 parking spaces, including spaces for electric cars, is nearing completion, he added
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
