Tuesday, April 09, 2019
Kabul (BNA) President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani addressing the concluding ceremony of national Geologists Day here in Chahar Chenar Palace said that agriculture and mines were holding keys of Afghanistan’s stability and prosperity, BNA said on Monday.
“We inherited a system that didn’t have plan, vision and contract for mines. We put foundation of mining sector in the country,” the president said, adding that the natural resources should be used to end poverty in the country.
The president went on saying that mines were not the mean for prosperity in most of the countries, rather fueled war and facilitated ruling of certain stratum of the society.
Hinting to lack of contracts in past four and half years in mining sector in the country, the president said that government had difficult choices to approve such contracts, as didn’t want to make false decisions.
President Ghani called lack of cooperation between the ministry of mines and petroleum and the private sector and problems in mining law as key challenges before mining sector in the country.
“We have prepared a specific framework for mines in the country. Contract are being put for bidding via a transparent process,” the president said, emphasizing on key role of the people and civil society in monitoring of the process.
Addressing the participants, the president said a new generation of geologists were needed and using new systems were necessary for extraction of the mines. The president emphasized on creating of joint working group of mines and petroleum ministry and the private sector.
“Government is determined to establish a new deputy office in national Security Council for security of the mines in the country,” the president said.
Concluding his remarks, President Ghani said natural resources were belonged to Afghan national and emphasized on cultural of cooperation and coordination between the sectors.
Meanwhile acting minister of mines and petroleum Nargis Nehan called 2019 as the year of investments and mining in the country and briefed the president on challenges of geologists and investors in the country.
