Training saves miners’ lives, increases production

KABUL (Pajhwok): Mining sector experts and geologists believe that formal training arrangements for labourers will help reduce human losses, bolster production of minerals and excavate the resources in a professional way.

The experts criticized what they called poor supervision of Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of mining operations. They noted Afghanistan would be self-sufficient economically if the ministry introduces tangible reforms for the vital sector.

Ibrahim Jafari, a lecturer at Kabul University, told Pajhwok Afghan News the contractor companies are duty bound to professionally train newly-recruited workers in line with needed standards.

Jafari said: “The important issue is safety of labors. Most workers of mine sector are illiterate and cannot adopt safety measures without proper trainings.”

Coming hard on some private corporations for refusing funding for training purposes, the lecturer urged the ministry to focus on resolving the direly needed issue while awarding contracts to private firms.

Absence of proper trainings resulting in deaths of labors, causing multiple diseases such as cancer, rheumatism and others among mining labors in recent years.

On the other hand, Jafari said mines excavation in an unprofessional way by untrained workers led to loss of minerals.

Khozhman Ulumi, another mining sector analyst, believes mineral resources should be excavated by professional individuals through modern machineries. There are skilled manpower inside the country but they cannot work in the given deteriorated security situation.

He alleged some warlords were illegally exploiting mines in an unskilled way and with the connivance of the ministry concerned.

Dr. Najmudin Tareen, geology expert and Afghanistan Academy of Science’s deputy head, says mineral resources in the country can be wasted if their extraction continued in an unregulated way.

He said launching of programs for labor of mines an important task to be carried out and the ministry concerned should concentrate on training of the workers.

But Khan Afzal, head of Al-Afzal Firm, insisted that most of the companies hired professional manpower to train unskilled labors.

He said that training of workers would help improve production level of a mine.

Mohammad Reza Khoshk, in charge of Bradara Khoshk Company, said: “They excavate a coalmine in Karokh district of Herat province and have allocated a budget for training their labors with the support of foreign experts.”

“The individuals we recruit shall have at least five years of experience. Newly hired labors start work after getting relevant trainings,” he added.

Shaiq Romani, acting head of human resources department at the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, acknowledged mining workers needed extensive training workshops.

Tamana Bahar

 

 

 

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