KABUL (SW) – Abdul-Ghani Baradar, Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of Afghanistan, revealed in a press conference Sunday that a new independent department is set to be established to oversee state-owned companies, by a decree from Hebatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the de-facto government of Afghanistan.
He emphasized that the primary objective behind creating this office is to foster unity and promote the growth of state-owned companies as a cohesive entity.
“This is a prudent decision, and its responsibility does not end now; rather, the effectiveness of this decision will be proven when professional people are appointed to lead it,” Baradar said.
Officials from the leadership board of state-owned companies have expressed their support for the establishment of an independent office. They believe that this move will encourage healthy competition and act as a deterrent against hoarding within the sector.
Ahmad-Jan Bilal, the head of the leadership board of state-owned companies, says that this independent office will be established in the next six months. “State-owned companies play an essential role for economic progress and self-sufficiency and for providing services to people and supporting the national budget.”
Abdul-Latif Nazari, Professional Deputy Minister of Economy for the Islamic Emirate, says that the establishment of an independent office can prevent work interference between different governmental institutions. “There is a need for a single and independent, strong, transparent and accountable administration.”
According to the officials of the Ministry of Finance, 43 state-owned companies worth 15 billion dollars are currently operating in Afghanistan in the sectors of public service supply, oil processing, cotton, and other agricultural items.
