Power, water sector targets total Omanisation by 2019

                                    

Muscat: Oman's electricity and water sector is expected to achieve 100 per cent Omanisation in all management, technical and administrative positions by 2019, according to a decision taken by the Ministry of Manpower.

The ministerial decision number 2014/248 issued by Abdullah bin Nassir Al Bakri, Minister of Manpower, said that it has been made 'mandatory' to achieve 100 per cent Omanisation gradually in the sector by 2019.
The ministerial decision dated September 7, said that there were only Omanis at the top managerial level in the electricity companies. However, at the level of manager operations, maintenance, and technical directors, it was a little more than 90 per cent.

According to the ministry, the appointment of only Omani nationals at the level of managers of administrative affairs and finance in the electricity sector has already been achieved. In 2013, at the level of deputy general manager and heads of the sections it was 70 per cent and by the end of 2014 it was expected to reach 80 per cent. It is understood that between 2015 and 2017, it will be 100 per cent. However, the target that has been set in 2018 and 2019 is 95 per cent.

At the engineer level in the electricity sector there were 75 per cent Omanis in such positions. It reached 85 per cent in 2014 and by 2015 it is expected to reach 95. By 2016, all posts at that level will have Omanis.
There was 70 per cent Omani technical staff in the electricity sector in 2013 which has reached 90 per cent in 2014. The objective is to maintain this percentage till 2015 so that from 2016 it will be totally manned by Omanis.

There will be 50 per cent skilled Omani workers in the electricity sector between 2013 and 2016. However, after that all posts in this sector must be occupied by Omani nationals.

The ministry has also announced a similar plan for the water sector which includes its plants in Al Ghubra, Rusayl, Wadi Al Jizi and Barka along with Sohar, Minnah, Sur, Salalah and Musandam, which come under the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW).

However, it has said that at the engineering level in the water sector, from 2013 to 2016, the hiring of Omanis has to be 78 per cent. By 2017, it has to be at 90 per cent and by 2018 and 2019 it has to be 95 per cent.
At the assistant engineer and supervisor level, it has already ensured that there are only Omani nationals, and this would have to be maintained. At the technical level, between 2013 and 2016, there have to be 76 per cent Omanis in various posts. It has to reach to 80 per cent in 2017 and 90 per cent by 2018 and 2019.

At the skilled manpower level there have been only Omanis hired. The ministry has announced various criteria for appointments at top and middle management level positions.

For new water purification plants and electricity production stations, from the current position of around 50 per cent, Omanis will be hired in all technical and administrative level positions by 2017 and 2018.