Amman, Oct 10 (Petra) – Social Development Minister Wafaa Bani Mustafa said on Saturday the ministry will start tomorrow replacing unsafe heaters upon a directive by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan announced at last week's cabinet meeting.

The replacement process will take place after accepting applications at the ministry's centers across the governorates and districts of the Kingdom, enabling those in need access to safe heaters, she told Petra in an interview.

The application is strictly for the replacement of unsafe heaters, but is not part of cash or in-kind aid programs, which are "subject to specific targeting formulas, conditions, and criteria based on systemic inquiry," she pointed out.

The minister said the initiative reflects a commitment to citizen safety and protection against accidents caused by unsafe heating appliances through providing safe heating alternatives before winter.

Last winter, the government tasked the Social Development Ministry with replacing 16,000 unsafe heaters, an initiative carried out in cooperation with Tkiyet Um Ali, which contributed to reducing heating accidents.

//Petra//SS