Joblessness: Badghis residents ask govt to establish factories

QALA-I-NAW (Pajhwok): Residents of western Badghis province are complaining about economic hardships due to unemployment and urge the government to establish factories in the province.

Provincial officials say they are making efforts to attract investors and establish factories.

Mohammad Juma, a resident of Badghis, told Pajhwok Afghan News that currently most of the youth, including him, were unemployed and were facing severe financial problems.

He said young people had to migrate to foreign countries in search of work due to lack of work opportunities in the province.

He asked the government to establish factories in the province in order to provide jobs to the jobless.

He said: “We wait from morning to evening, but rarely find work. We ask the government to establish factories in this province so that we can find work.”

Shamsuddin, another resident, made similar complaint and said now electricity was imported from Turkmenistan to the province and the government should use the electricity by establishing production factories.

According to him, though the way for establishing manufacturing plants in the province has been paved, yet no action could be taken by the responsible institutions to establish them.

Economic experts consider the establishment of manufacturing factories in Badghis as useful.

Mohammad Usman Shaheer, a university professor, said the establishment of factories will reduce unemployment and increase people’s income.

According to him, if factories are established, the unemployed youth will find jobs and will not go to foreign countries on smuggling routes.

Shaheer added that the Islamic Emirate could also get more revenue and taxes by establishing production factories.

The Badghis Chamber of Commerce and Industry says several factors have come together preventing the establishment of manufacturing plants in the province.

Jalaluddin Haqqani, head of the chamber, said roads to the province were difficult to pass and sales and facilities in the province were low and as a result investors shied away from investing in the province.

He assured of all possible efforts to attract investors and establish factories in the province.

Haqqani added the chamber of commerce was determined to support businessmen willing to establish factories in the province and provide them with all facilities.

sa/ma

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