NAJRANBy a Staff Writer— Work on the new technical college in Najran began yesterday as Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, laid the foundation stone for the project.
Addressing the ceremony, Dr. Ali Al-Ghafees, governor of the General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVT), said the government had allocated SR580 million to establish new technical colleges and operate the existing ones.
Ghafees revealed his organization’s plan to open a number of technical colleges in various parts of the Kingdom.
At present there are 17 technical colleges and 83 vocational training centers and technical institutes under GOTEVOT in addition to more than 400 private technical and training institutions.
Labor and Social Affairs Minister Dr. Ali Al-Namlah thanked Prince Sultan for breaking ground for the multimillion riyal project. He said the college would help meet the growing demand for technical hands in the country.
The foundation laying ceremony was attended by Najran Governor Prince Mishaal ibn Saud and other high-ranking officers.
Prince Sultan also toured an exhibition of GOTEVOT’s achievements.
Prince Sultan, who is on an inspection tour of the Southern Region, also opened a center for kidney and heart diseases in Najran. The prince announced a donation of SR5 million for the center, which is named after him.
Health Minister Dr. Osama Shubokshi said the Prince Sultan Center, which covers an area of 3,250 square meters, would enhance health services in the region. The center has a 12-bed intensive care unit for heart patients and 31 dialysis units.
Prince Sultan commissioned the expansion project of the central power generating plant in Najran, which was completed at a cost of SR238 million.
Industry and Electricity Minister Dr. Hashem Yamani said the new expansion would increase the plant’s capacity by 60 percent to 279 megawatts.
Yamani said the electricity sector at present covers more than 7,700 cities, towns and villages with a total generating capacity of 26,000 megawatts. Electricity distribution lines in the Kingdom have a total length of 109,000 kilometers. There are 3.7 million electricity subscribers.
Prince Sultan later arrived in Abha and was greeted at the airport by Asir Governor Prince Khaled Al-Faisal and senior military and civilian officers.
