NIZWA: Al Dakhiliyah Governorate on Monday signed 33 development and investment contracts, including 8 contracts to execute service and development projects valued at over RO 6 million, and 25 investment contracts with expected revenues exceeding RO 1.8 million, across the roads, infrastructure, tourism, entertainment, and commercial sectors, as part of the governorate's efforts to develop services and expand economic opportunities across its wilayats.
Shaikh Hilal bin Said al Hajri, Governor of Al Dakhiliyah, stated that the governorate is working to expand the base of economic activity in its wilayats through a package of development projects and investment opportunities aimed at developing infrastructure, stimulating the tourism, commercial, and service sectors, and maximising the utilisation of local resources.
He emphasised that the signed contracts come within the governorate's priorities to enhance economic and social development, aligned with national directives aimed at empowering governorates and activating their role in achieving the goals of Oman Vision 2040.
The Governor explained that developing local revenues and maximising returns from government assets represent two main pillars in the governorate's investment strategy.
This is pursued through developing economic opportunities, preparing public sites and facilities for investment, and expanding private sector participation in their operation and management. He pointed out that the governorate places great importance on attracting investments that leverage the comparative advantages of each wilayat, support small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and contribute to creating job opportunities and enhancing in-country value.
He stressed that the governorate places spending efficiency, execution quality, and revenue sustainability among its project management priorities, with a focus on performance monitoring, adherence to time schedules, and achieving development targets.
He noted that the upcoming phase will witness continued work to develop the investment environment and strengthen integration between government projects and private sector investments, thereby supporting Al Dakhiliyah Governorate's competitiveness and contributing to the diversification of the national economy.
The signed contracts included road and infrastructure projects, such as the maintenance of damaged roads in the wilayats of Nizwa, Bahla, Al Hamra, and Adam at a cost of approximately RO 922,000, and the maintenance of damaged roads in the wilayats of Bidbid, Samayil, and Izki at a cost exceeding RO 1 million.
They also included the design and execution of the Al Washhi–Al Tasawir road in the Wilayat of Izki at a cost of RO 2.2 million, and the implementation of the second phase of the internal roads project in the Wilayat of Samayil at a cost exceeding RO 1.6 million.
Furthermore, the contracts featured the establishment of the Al Sumairat Eco-Park in the Wilayat of Adam, and the preparation of the general master plan and identification of investment opportunities and service buildings for the Harat Al Bilad area in the Wilayat of Manah, aiming to develop public facilities and leverage environmental and heritage potentials to establish economically and touristically viable projects.
In the investment sector, the contracts included the investment, management, and operation of several facilities at the Nizwa Public Park, including the library, indoor gaming hall, cafes, and retail outlets, alongside the investment in the Nizwa Gate building, thereby contributing to the development of tourism and entertainment services and the expansion of commercial activities.
In the Wilayat of Al Hamra, the contracts entailed establishing a fully serviced recreational stopover on the land of the Al Hamra Visitors Center, constructing and operating a zip-line, a coffee farm, and a fruit farm within the Jabal Shams Waterfront project, and developing and operating a tourist restaurant.
They also included establishing and operating the 'Sky Dome' project, which features a restaurant, a cafe, and an astronomical dome for observing stars and planets, alongside constructing and operating a restaurant and cafe within the Eastern Mountain Oasis project, supporting the diversity of tourism activities and providing investment opportunities linked to mountain, astronomical, and eco-tourism.
The contracts also covered investing a portion of the Bahla Public Park to establish and operate various recreational games and managing and operating the existing cafe, while investment contracts included a portion of Al Mudairah Park in the Wilayat of Samayil for development and operation. In the Wilayat of Bidbid, a drive-thru cafe project was included, contributing to developing recreational facilities, diversifying commercial services, and enhancing the economic utilisation of public sites.
In the Wilayat of Izki, the contracts included constructing and operating a carpentry workshop for furniture and two commercial shops for selling automotive supplies in the industrial area of Qalat Al Awamer. Meanwhile, the Wilayat of Manah included investing in industrial land in the Maseedrah area to establish a charcoal manufacturing project through recycling tree waste, contributing to reducing plant waste accumulation, utilising it to produce economically valuable materials, decreasing the need for traditional disposal methods, and supporting recycling activities and the circular economy, in alignment with national directives to achieve Net-Zero carbon emissions by 2050.
In a related context, Al Dakhiliyah Governorate floated tenders with an estimated cost exceeding RO 4.5 million, covering projects for road maintenance, public facility development, construction of health walkways, improvement of markets and service sites, lighting works, and engineering consultancies, which are currently in the tendering stages.
These projects include designing and executing the Al Suwayrij Walkway in the Wilayat of Samayil, developing the entrance to the Wilayat of Bidbid, designing and executing the mobile food cart site in the Al Mudairah and Lizq areas in the Wilayat of Samayil, consultancy services for designing and developing the Eastern Market and Lizq area in the Wilayat of Samayil, in addition to consultancy works for preparing the master plan of Al Musafir Park in the Wilayat of Adam.
The signed projects fall within the development and investment programmes of Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, aimed at developing infrastructure, enhancing the efficiency of public asset utilisation, expanding partnership with the private sector, and supporting economic activities across the governorate's various wilayats. - ONA
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