Afghan Deputy Minister of Mines Resigns

The Afghan Deputy Minister of Mines and Industries resigned from his post for his arguments with the Minister of Mines over the ministry's future plans and hiring unprofessional employees

After the resignation of Muhammad Ikram Ghiasi, the Deputy Minister of Mines, other officials in the ministry also announced that they will stop working, as a reaction to the ministry's mismanagement.

Ghiasi said the Ministry of Mines has allocated $1.5 million for the ministry's administrative structure, which is a misuse of power.

He said one of the main reasons for his resignation was the firing of some professional employees and the hiring of unprofessional and inexperienced ones.

"The actions done in the ministry after the hiring of Mr. Shahrani as the new Minister of Mines are illegal and against the president's orders, therefore I resign," said Muhammad Ikram Ghiasi, the Deputy Minister of Mines and Industries.

"I have been working in the Ministry of Mines in the past 37 years, and I have never done anything against the law," said head of the strategy department of the Ministry of Mines and Industries, Khogman Ulomi.

But one of the ministry's deputies called these allegations baseless and added that these authorities are trying to make excuses, since they will get retired soon.

Mr. Ghiasi has also blamed the officials in the Ministry of Mines and Industries for being involved in widespread administrative corruption and misuse of power in some of its contracts.

The economic deputy of the Ministry of Mines and Industries, Naseer Ahmad, denied these allegations adding that the ministry has always signed all contracts transparently in presence of the media.