Despite the inauguration of a power sub-station by President Ashraf Ghani in southeastern Paktia province some months ago, residents are yet to be supplied electricity, inhabitants said on Tuesday.
They grumbled that electricity supply to the sub-station started four months ago but their homes were yet to be electrified.
Asif Mukhlis, hailing from the Baghkaha locality of Gardez, called the electricity supply the most important facility and a vital project for Paktia.
The substation inauguration was an ostentatious move, he suggested, arguing residents were still deprived of electricity. The authorities had failed to honor their pledges.
“The president has opened the substation in Paktia. Unfortunately, despite a string of pledges made by top officials, most homes in Gardez are still without electricity,” he lamented.
Luqman Jalalzai, belonging to Beland Mazal area, said Gardez residents hoped the government would keep its promises of supplying electricity after the inauguration of the substation.
The delay in power supply was a loss for the government which had to pay heavily for imported electricity in any case, he reasoned.
Abdul Naseer Alamyar, head of the Paktia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, expressed concern at the delay in distribution of electricity and stressed power supply to homes and industries.
But Da Afghanistan Shirkat Director Mohammad Asif Niyazai said a contract for electricity supply to Gardez had been inked with three companies.
Due to some difference among the firms, power supply could had not yet started, explained Niyazai, saying provincial and central authorities had been informed of the issue.
The contract was initially signed with an Indian company, which sold it to another firm. As part of a third deal, the RCC Company was awarded the contract.