The ministry is said to have withdrawn some of its services, including social security and services provided by the Directorate General of Passports, as well as forming a committee to address the issues raised by the company’s aggrieved employees.

Citing a source close to the matter, local press reported that some of Saudi Oger’s workforce claim they have not been paid for four months, while the company claims that salaries have been delayed because it has not received payments for projects it has completed.

Sayyar Al Shammari, an engineer working with Saudi Oger, was quoted as saying: “The company had announced that it had no money to pay the salaries.

“The company’s situation is unstable due to the scrapping of many of its projects it was to execute.”

As well as implementing punitive measures, the labour ministry has reportedly vowed to settle the salary dispute either by paying the employees or clearing the arrears in instalments.