Saudi-based Anan Iskan highlighted the poor state of workers’ villages in the kingdom and said innovative, quality residential solutions were the need of the hour to improve their living conditions and provide them a decent life.

A specialist in building residential facilities for foreign workers, Anan Iskan is a joint venture between construction giant Saudi Binladin Group and leading investment firm Anan Holding with the backing of Tamimi Global, a leading player in the contracting and services sector.
 
The company called upon the government agencies to issue clear-cut regulations on workers' residency and specifications on its location.

"Out of 8.2 million foreign workers in the kingdom, 6.8 million who work for the private sector are more likely to live in squalid conditions, inhabiting slums and derelict, dilapidated buildings that lack even the most basic of facilities for decent living," stated Faisal Alsayegh, the CEO of Anan Iskan.

"Something must be done to change all that," noted Alsayegh, while addressing a gathering at an awareness seminar on workers’ rights and housing solutions held in Jeddah.

The seminar was organised amid continuing concerns over slum conditions for workers in major cities all over the Kingdom, which continue to exist despite the booming economy and the relatively high returns earned by major Saudi corporations.

Underlining the importance of support for workers’ villages and the enactment of clear-cut, specific regulations for the locations and specifications of workers’ living quarters, Alsayegh said: "The failure to enact laws governing accommodation of workers and poor societal awareness of their rights add hardship to the daily lives of foreign workers, whether in terms of living environment or the repercussions of poor accommodations."

He pointed out that many foreign workers still continue to shack up in abandoned, condemned buildings that lack even a modicum of safety and security.

"Through offering innovative, quality residential solutions designed specifically to accommodate workers with everything needed for a decent human lifestyle, Anan Iskan aims to change the prevailing culture to one founded on the idea of workers’ villages that provide comprehensive services to residents, including primary healthcare, the day-to-day  requirements of life, and proper, comprehensive housing with varying levels of quality to suit clients’ needs, as well as other logistical services, all based on the highest international standards," he stated.

Al Sayegh said Anan Iskan’s commitment to excellence has earned it several ISO accreditations and a HACCP certificate for food safety.

"We are a leader in providing high-quality housing for workers in the Middle East. Our deep understanding of the needs of workers and employers has won praise from both groups for providing living conditions that offer convenience, efficiency and quality services," he stated.

The company also has several certificates of endorsement from local and international companies and institutions, covering monitoring construction, maintenance, management, operation, catering and food safety standards.

Anan Iskan, under the chairmanship of Mohammed Bin Mohammed Binladin, currently owns and operates three workers housing complexes consisting of apartment units, two in Riyadh and one Jeddah, all of which have won praise for their design, quality and attractive landscaping, he said.  

The company also operates four on-site housing complexes that can be relocated to other sites after a project has been completed. One is for the Makkah Mataf expansion project, another is for the Riyadh Metro project, the third is at Ras Al Khair northeast of Jubail, and the fourth is located in Qatar.

None of these mobile housing complexes has been in place for more than five to seven years and the onsite complexes in Ras Al Khair and Qatar are known for providing workers with comfortable living conditions in an otherwise harsh environment, he added.-TradeArabia News Service