Domestic company wins fluoride mine contract

KABUL (Tolo News): A domestic company won the contract for a fluoride mine located in the western province of Badghis. The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said that it will give a 10 percent discount in taxes for the company if the company carries out the processing inside Afghanistan.
Speaking at a gathering, the acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Shuabuddin Delawar, said that they want to support local companies but also attract foreign companies. “We try to draw the foreign investment—to attract Turkey’s investment. The Turkish (company) is working on the block next to the fluoride which is now open for bidding,” he said.
Meanwhile, the head of the company that won the bidding contract pledged to conduct the operation inside Afghanistan to provide job opportunities for the citizens. “We have 4,000 pieces of machinery. We will attempt to conduct the processing inside Afghanistan to provide job opportunities for the people,” he said. The Afghanistan Chamber of Industry and Mines (ACIM) said that domestic companies should be given priorities in such contracts.
“Opening bidding on the mines is a good move by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum. I hope the companies which invested inside Afghanistan are given priority,” said Sakhi Ahmad Payman, deputy head of the ACIM. There were a total of 49 companies bidding on the contract of the fluoride mine.