Ministry of Finance Opens Office in Panjshir
Panjshir Governor Haji Bahlol hosted the official grand opening of the Afghanistan ministry of finance office in the Panjshir valley, in a ceremony next to the Panjshir River in the provincial center of Bazarak, Aug. 2.
The ministry of finance is specifically responsible for the management and execution of budget, collection of taxes, organization and control of public expenditures, payments to the government, and the management of customs affairs.
Lt. Col. Eric W. Hommel, Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team commander, and Jim Dehart, Panjshir PRT director, were there to witness this monumental achievement in the development of the valley.
“The opening of this office is a major step in the overall development plan for Panjshir,” said Hommel.
“It represents another step in government accountability and sustainability,” added DeHart. “It provides an essential link between the province and the central government.”
Central government officials also made a visit to the valley for the ceremony. Abdul Razique Samadi, deputy minister for administration, and Dr. Mohammad Mustafa Mastoor, deputy minister for finance, spoke first at the ceremony.
Samadi encouraged the people of Panjshir to continue to make progress in the valley, and stressed the importance of having a finance office here.
“Today we have this building because of the hard work of the government and the people,” said Samadi. “The ministry of finance is connected to every other ministry, and that is important for bringing new projects to Panjshir.”
Mastoor echoed Samadi’s praise of Panjshir, saying the government and people are solving issues that other areas in Afghanistan still face.
“It’s a good province,” said Mastoor. “They’re making plans for progress and spending money for the benefit of the people.”
The ceremony also included final words by Gov. Bahlol, who thanked the ministry of finance, the PRT, and all the other organizations that help bring government and development projects to the valley.
Bahlol also thanked the people of Panjshir for their dedication to creating a secure environment where progress can be made and where organizations and businesses can prosper.
“This province is improving day by day,” said Bahlol, but added there was much still to be done.
He urged the Panjshir director of finance to be vigilant with the funds he will oversee and to use those funds to benefit the people. He also noted the need for other ministries to come to Panjshir, specifically naming the Afghanistan ministry of mines.
“Panjshir can increase its gross domestic product three times by regulating the mining of emeralds and gems,” he said. “The taxes from proper mining efforts will increase salaries and foster more improvement projects.”
Bahlol ended his speech by indicating that he saw this event as a sign of commitment to Panjshir by the central government.
“Establishing a ministry of finance presence in Panjshir,” Bahlol said, “has the potential to be the catalyst to bring more development to the region.”