A single episode of Sharjah’s “Direct Line” radio programme resulted in immediate decisions that reshaped the lives of four citizens, after the Ruler of Sharjah issued direct instructions addressing employment disputes, housing concerns, education expenses, and medical support.
During the broadcast on Thursday, February 12, one caller from Kalba raised concerns about living conditions near newly built residential structures, citing issues linked to the sewage system. Responding to the complaint, the Sharjah Ruler confirmed that the area had already been placed under the emirate’s development plan and announced that affected families would be relocated.
“Regarding the issue of caller Amer, who is suffering from the sewage system of the buildings constructed near his residence, it is being included in the development plan. As for the houses located in this area of Khor Kalba, their owners will be moved to new houses in a new residential complex in the University District opposite Khor Kalba within six months, God willing.
“We have done everything possible to complete it quickly, and thanks to God, it will be delivered after six months, and perhaps even before that. Caller Amer and the remaining houses near these buildings, numbering approximately six houses, will then move to this new residential complex.”
He added that while the issue was being handled, the process required time due to technical and logistical factors.
“We are not neglecting these matters, but construction, contractors, land, and arrangements all take time. God willing, within six months, these houses, near which the apartment buildings were built, will have moved to the new residential complex.”
The Ruler also disclosed that a new project in Khor Kalba would open in the coming days, describing it as a lodge similar to Al Rayahin Lodge in Khor Fakkan. He said it would feature a private beach and that the new houses being prepared for residents would be fully furnished, identified by the owners’ names instead of numbers.
He further urged residents who have not yet received their housing compensation in the old Khor Kalba area to contact the municipality to collect their entitlements.
Another call involved Fatima Mohammed from Kalba, who sought assistance for her daughter currently studying at the University of Sydney in Australia. She explained that her daughter had previously been supported through a state merit scholarship, but the scholarship was suspended for the current academic year after she lost a grade in one course, in accordance with regulations.
With the cost of the academic year reaching Dh300,000, the Sharjah Ruler directed the Amiri Diwan to cover the expenses.
In a separate humanitarian case, a woman identified as Umm Abdul Rahman appealed for the return of medical support that had been previously provided by the Friends of Patients Association. She said the assistance had stopped several months ago, and she has no health insurance and no income source beyond helping her mother with aid received from the Department of Social Services in Sharjah.
The Sharjah Ruler instructed Rashid Ahmed bin Al Sheikh, Head of the Amiri Diwan, to contact the Friends of Patients Association to restore the medical assistance.
A fourth case involved Amal Al-Junaibi, a Sharjah government employee who said she has been caring for her husband, who is disabled and uses a wheelchair, and requires ongoing hospital check-ups. She told the programme that she had submitted medical documentation and official reports to support her request for leave, explaining that her husband needed her assistance with movement and daily care, particularly after a surgical procedure on February 26.
However, she said her employer deducted her full leave balance and reduced her salary for three consecutive months, despite her submission of the required paperwork.
After hearing the complaint, the Ruler of Sharjah said: “I would like to clarify that the procedure taken in the case of our daughter Amal Al Junaibi is contrary to the existing regulations. There are no regulations that govern this process in this manner. This employee who took this action acted on his own without referring to the existing instructions or to the general administration. All the practices carried out by this employee are wrong, and we have now contacted Abdullah Ibrahim Al Zaabi, Head of the Human Resources Department, and asked him to intervene immediately.”
Following the directive, Abdullah Ibrahim Al Zaabi made a telephone intervention during the programme, telling Al-Junaibi that her case would be addressed fully and that her leave balance would be protected.
He described the situation as exceptional due to its humanitarian nature and said Sharjah’s human resources framework already considers social circumstances. He added that the emirate would coordinate with government departments to establish a faster and more flexible mechanism to respond to similar cases, including a dedicated section within the Human Resources Department tasked with issuing immediate solutions.
