KABUL - TOLOnews findings reveal that a national revenue loss of at least $400,000 has transpired due to a prolonged bidding process for Ghorian Salt Mine extraction in Herat province.
The documents obtained by TOLOnews show that the bidding process for a company to run the mine has been ongoing since last year.
Among the applicants, one claimed they have been noted as suitable for the contract but the contract has not been awarded to them due to ‘bureaucracy’ in public office.
According to officials, a large number of salt factories have been forced to stop work since last year and more than 2,000 people have lost their jobs due to the delay in the salt mine contract.
“Mr. President [Ashraf Ghani] should tell us what should we do as the mine contract was put out for a bidding process twice last year and we still cannot take the contract. We have lost all our capital,” said Nasir Ahmad, head of a company that applied for the tender.
Meanwhile, according to the contract, the company that wins the tender should extract at least 25,000 tons of salt from the mine annually. This amount would be worth an estimated 26.6 million Afs a year, which has not been included in the projected national income.
“Mines are not in our control. They are under the control of militants, who extract it and take it to Chatral of Pakistan. However, we [Afghan government] are doing nothing and we are waiting for the extraction of the mine,” said Khanjan Alokozay, deputy head of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
“Better management of mines adds more and more income to the national revenue (coffers),” Finance Ministry spokesman Ajmal Hamid said.
Meanwhile, officials at the Ministry of Mines said the ministry does not have the authority to award a contract on its own.
“Documents of the contract have been sent to the National Procurement Authority after a review by the ministry. We will sign it with a company whenever we are told to do so,” said Zabihullah Sarwari, spokesman for the Ministry of Mines. (Tolonews)