Enjaz Organization leads initiative to improve services in historic Nazran area

BASRA – The Enjaz Organization, known for its efforts in revitalizing Al-Farahidi Street, Basra’s cultural hub, is now leading a campaign to improve services in Nazran, a historic area of the city. The initiative, in collaboration with the local government, community leaders, and residents, includes a recent field visit to the area with the head of the Basra Provincial Council’s Services Committee, following a dialogue session at the Palace of Culture and Arts to address service issues in the region.

The campaign, organized jointly by Enjaz Basra for Development and the “Together” team, seeks to improve infrastructure in Nazran, Al-Bakr, and Al-Ahrar areas, aiming to boost these locations as cultural and tourist destinations. The initiative kicked off with a meeting on September 26, 2024, attended by local officials, leaders, and residents, and was followed by a site visit to assess challenges on the ground.

Imad Al-Matouri, Chairman of the Services Committee at the Provincial Council, spoke to 964media about the campaign: “We met with local leaders to discuss the issues plaguing these historic areas, facilitated by Enjaz.” He continued, “We found a severe lack of potable water, despite the area’s central location in Basra, as well as issues with waste and stagnant water in the rivers.”

Al-Matouri pledged to engage with relevant government departments to address these problems. “This area is a vital part of Basra’s history and heritage and deserves our attention,” he added.

Safaa Al-Dhahi, Director of the Enjaz Organization, emphasized the urgency of the situation: “The area is facing severe service shortages, compounded by delays in the work of contractors.” He further noted that despite Nazran’s significance as a tourist destination, its condition does not reflect its historical importance. “We are here today to highlight these issues, particularly the accumulation of waste and stagnant water,” Al-Dhahi said, adding that he hopes to see real solutions with the involvement of local leaders and residents. “Our organization is voluntarily leading this campaign.”

Ahmad Ismail, the mukhtar (local leader) of the Al-Risala neighborhood, also shared his concerns: “We are struggling with a shortage of household waste bins, but we have been promised a solution. Schools in the area need large waste containers, and the public gardens should be rehabilitated to serve families and children.” He continued, “Many of our streets are damaged and require proper maintenance. The responsible authorities need to either repair or fully repave them.”