A member of the Amman Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Sultan Allan, confirmed Friday that His Majesty's directives to ease the severity of the COVID-19 measures has provided hope to revive the clothing and footwear sector, which is facing exceptional and difficult circumstances.

In a press statement, Allan called on the government to effectively implement the royal directives into decisions that have a realistic impact to save the clothing and shoes sector.

Allan said that the measures that would save these sectors include abolishing the Friday lockdown and reducing the curfew by five hours a day during the month of Ramadan and three hours after Eid.

He added that the clothing sector will not be able to continue to endure more closures and restrictions, indicating that the correct decisions that are adopted through participation are those that serve the national economy and mitigate the effects of the pandemic on various sectors.

He stressed the need for commercial and service establishments operating in Amman, to continue their commitment to health conditions, especially wearing face masks and social distancing.

Allan added that employees in the clothing and footwear sector should be given priority to receive the vaccine before the Eid season due to the increase in purchases in light of the celebrations.

In Amman, there are 6,700 clothing merchants and 1,230 shoe dealers, and the daily sales of the whole sector in the Kingdom reach JD 2.35 million, while the share of the month of Ramadan is estimated at about 27 percent of that.

The volume of investments in the apparel and shoes sector in the Kingdom is estimated at JD 414 million, which it contributes nearly JD one billion to gross domestic product, and employs 58,000 workers, the majority of whom are Jordanians.

It is a sector restricted by the pandemic, he said, which provides job opportunities to university students.

Allan demanded several changes to aid in the revival of these sectors, including the reduction of sales taxes for at least one year and reducing customs duties so that they do not exceed five percent.

Allan also called for the issuance of a defense order to exempt tenants from leases during the period of restriction, exempting shop licenses or postponing them without fines for the next year, and to support the sector through a financing package that includes small and medium enterprises.

Wednesday, His Majesty stressed the need to ease the severity of the measures in order to move the economy forward, noting of the need to study meaasures to protect the health and safety of citizens.

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