Liwal’s 1 million jobs promise is imaginary

KABUL (Pajhwok): The promise of presidential candidate Noor Rahman Liwal that he would create one million jobs in one month is imaginary because there are no significant opportunities available in the country, Pajhwok has learnt.

Liwal during an exclusive interview told Pajhwok Afghan News he would create one million jobs in one month and 10 millions in five years if elected as a president.

He said in his government he would convert jobs into two shifts. According to him, currently about 500,000 people have been working in the government.

He had added: “In the first 30 days of my work, 7,000 individuals will be hired in public sector at night shift, 250,000 in private sector and 250,000 others as supporting staff.”

He informed nobody would be allowed to work on two posts simultaneously in his government.

“We will set up a system to identify everyone from face that no one can work in two governmental offices at the same time,” he said, adding currently many people worked as advisers and took high salaries.

He cited that there would be no adviser in his government and their salaries would be provided to night-shift employees in government.

According to him, in current and previous governments, only 37 percent revenue was collected due to administrative-corruption, but in his government all the revenue would go to the government.

He said second-shift work for government would have a key role in collection of revenue.

Salaries & number of employees in government:

Abdul Fareed Ahmad, spokesman for the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC), told Pajhwok Afghan News that currently there were 424,000 public servants across the country.

He said the minimum government employee salary was 14,000 afghanis and the maximum 320,000 afghanis. Advisors are also among government employees.

Pajhwok asked the spokesman about the number of advisers with the Presidential Palace, the Chief Executive Office, the Ministry of Finance and Government Media Center, but he did not give information about them.

But according to reports, President Ghani has 102 advisors and CEO Abdullah 110 advisors.

Shah Hussain Mortazavi, former deputy spokesman to President, had told reporters and all advisors received salaries as high-ranking government employees.

Meanwhile, a government source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said advisors’ salaries ranged from 30,000 to 76,000 afghanis. But some other advisors received fuel, guards, credit cards and other privileges.

Ministry of Finance reaction:

Shamroz Khan Masjadi, MoF spokesman, told Pajhwok that the government collected most of its revenue in taxes.

He added: “We collect whatever the government’s revenue is, but in some places the tax is not collected due to security problems and corruption. The amount collected is very small”.

He asked Lewal to prove his claim that the government only collected 37 percent revenue.

Unemployment:

On the other hand, Abdul Fatah Ashrat Ahmadzai, spokesman for the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, told Pajhwok that around 9 million of Afghans were eligible to work but only two million of them were employed or did less work.

 Khan Jan Alokozai, deputy director of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI), said that creating 1 million jobs for people within one month was quite difficult in such difficult situation and it was a promise far away from reality.

He added: “This would not be possible to provide jobs to 250,000 individuals in a month in private sector until investments take place in various sectors.”

Alokozai further said if the private sector could not create job opportunities for 20,000 in a month, then how it would be possible for a candidate to provide jobs to 250,000 within a month?

Mohammad Liaqat Adil, all Afghanistan federation of trade unions’ head, told Pajhwok if the government increased posts, it would not be possible for it to create jobs for such number of people within a month.

Adil said: “If someone needs their cooperation in term of employment and working plans, they are ready to offer our support in this regard, but such promises amount public deception and to take people’s vote.”

Experts term Lewal’s promise as imaginary:

Abdul Kabir Ranjbar, a political expert, said the government could create jobs for one million individuals within two years, considering all its revenue taxes.

He said, “Electioneering is going on and people must not trust candidates deceptive promises.” He said if candidates offered false promises to people, the result would be opposite.

Shahla Farid, an instructor at the Kabul University, said such imaginary promises were given by those candidates who had no specific plan for future.

She said, “Practically implementing one’s plans need budget but they have no plans to create jobs for 1 million people within one month.”

Pajhwok Afghan News assesses presidential candidates’ promises and explains how viable they are or in which category they are placed in terms of accuracy.

Pajhwok findings show the promise of presidential candidate Noor Rahman Lewal about creating one million job for people within one month is incorrect, considering the current facilities in the country to implement such promise but it is possible to reduce unemployment.

Behishta Arghand

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