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AMMAN, Dec 14 (Reuters) – Outlets in some Jordanian provincial cities shut on Wednesday in solidarity with 1000’s of lorry drivers who’ve staged a number of days of sporadic strikes in protest at excessive gas costs, drivers and witnesses mentioned.
Truck drivers have launched partial work stoppages and sit-ins during the last week, primarily in Jordan’s impoverished southern provinces, to demand that the federal government scale back diesel costs, saying mounting prices have led to losses for his or her companies.
The disaster has led to congestion within the nation’s fundamental Crimson Sea port of Aqaba the place cargo has piled up, and has disrupted regular trailer-truck transport of imported items to the capital Amman and different cities.
Some outlets within the provincial cities of Maan, Tafila and Karak introduced a closure of enterprise on Wednesday in solidarity with the placing lorry drivers, witnesses and drivers mentioned.
“They haven’t left us with dignity, officers do not feel for us. We can’t feed our children anymore,” mentioned Abdullah Kreishan, a truck driver from the town of Maan.
Some activist strikers have threatened to stage avenue protests in provincial cities on Friday.
Anger with the authorities over worsening dwelling requirements, corruption and excessive gas costs has previously triggered civil unrest in Jordan.
The federal government has promised to look into the strikers’ calls for however has mentioned it already has paid over 500 million dinars ($700 million) to cap gas worth hikes this 12 months.
Beneath an IMF structural reform programme, gas costs are adjusted month-to-month in step with international market fluctuations.
Jordan has a fleet of about 20,000 trailers, many owned by people, who say dwelling circumstances are worsening and excessive inflation is making it tougher to generate profits.
Haulage of products and cargo to the principle neighbouring Iraqi and Saudi markets has not been severely affected.
Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi, Enhancing by William Maclean
Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Ideas.
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