The Fight against Corruption is ‘Rumor’
what president Ghani has spoken about counter corruption so far, has been a rumor rather than practical steps to eliminate administrative corruption.
The life of National Unity Government (NUG) led by M. Ashraf Ghani is going to end. The president was supposed to fight corruption in Afghanistan. The promise of president Ghani – both in the election campaign and at international conferences, has been the fight against corruption. A fight which has no start and end. Ashraf Ghani at every occasion spoke about to fight against corruption.
According to the latest report released by the watchdog, Afghan people pay $ 3 billion bribes to government officials for services and solving their problems annually. This high figure about corruption related to the NUG. The president has always decisively talked about corruption. He gives colorful promises to the people and his western allies, but his acts are highly political, selective and based on ethnic manner.
A recent report by the United States Special Inspector General for Afghanistan’s Reconstruction (Cigar) pointed out that the Afghan government faces major problems in combating government corruption. Lack of capacity and resources, lack of action against powerful people and the presence of unskilled and corrupt people are among the major problems.
There is a fight against corruption is only at low levels, but it is not implemented at high levels. The report emphasizes that Afghan security and justice forces are often avoiding investigations, prosecutions, and punishment of powerful people.
The problem is that influential figures are not limited to individuals that can be counted by fingers, but it covers a wide network including individuals inside and outside the government. Whenever the government wanted to decisively show its power and decisiveness against corruption, it left it half done.
The Kabul Bank file while Karzai and Ashraf Ghani were in office, was not completely resolved, and the main people of the case were not prosecuted. The cases of corruption at the Ministry of Education and Finance at the time of Farouq Wardak and Omar Zakhilwal were not taken seriously as well.
Finally, what president Ghani has spoken about counter corruption so far, has been a rumor rather than practical steps to eliminate administrative corruption. Undoubtedly, these cases will be transferred to the future administration.
Akhtar Suhail – (DID) press agency
Translated by Taher Mojab
