Need to Speed up Reconstruction of Damaged Districts in Aleppo Underscored

 ALEPPO, (ST)- Assistant Secretary General of the Baath Arab Socialist Party (BASP) Hilal al-Hilal has urged concerted efforts to assist the people of Aleppo and alleviate their suffering through speeding up the implementation of the projects of reconstructing and rehabilitation of the city’s damaged districts, including the buildings, facilities, networks of water, electricity and communication and the infrastructure in preparation for the return of  displaced citizens to their homes.

 Hilal, who was speaking during the annual conference of the Aleppo BASP branch on Sunday, also called for combating corruption and fighting terrorist extremist thinking and stressed the need to accord special attention to families of martyrs and seek implementing useful projects that guarantee good livelihood to these families and that contribute to development of  the society.

Within this context, some concerned ministers reviewed the activities of their ministries to help push the reconstruction process in Aleppo forward.

Minister of Housing and Public Works Hussein Arnous explained the huge damage and destruction caused to Aleppo because of terrorist groups’ attacks. He said the biggest part of the rubbles has been removed for main roads and added that the ministry is working to build six thousand housing units in several Syrian provinces, including Aleppo,  at a cost of 60 million Syrian Pounds.

Tourism Minister Bisher Yazigi clarified that 155 tourist facilities out of 228 damaged ones  have resumed work. He pointed out that the ministry has prepared an investment map for Aleppo to reactivate tourism activities and carry out new services and tourism projects.

Health Minister Nizar Yazigi, on his part, said three health centers were opened in the eastern districts of Aleppo and six others are to be rehabilitated, referring to effort exerted to rehabilitate the national hospital there. He affirmed the steadfastness of the health sector during the crisis and the continuity of providing health and medical services and vaccines, noting that 98 hospitals have kept providing medical services in Syria under the ongoing crisis.

Hussein Makhlouf, Minister of Local Administration and Environment said that the ministry is working to sign contracts valued at 650 million Syrian pounds to import machines to be use in reconstruction in Aleppo.

Electricity Minister Mohammad Zuheir Kharbutly said the ministry has intensified its efforts to enhance electric power supplies to Aleppo, noting the rehabilitation of several power networks and plans to import electric power generating systems.

Minister of Water Resources Nabil al-Hassan, on his part, talked about the ministry’s efforts to restore water supplies to the city and reactivate part of the water system for irrigation projects.

Hamda Mustafa