Massoud takes over as presidential aide

KABUL (Pajhwok): Ahmad Zia Massoud, a senior member of the Change and Continuity team, on Thursday took over as President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai’s special representative on reforms and good governance.

Speaking at Massoud’s oath-taking ceremony, Ahmadzai said nothing could be achieved without having good governance. “That’s why they are committed to establishing a government based on merit.”

The new president, who called good governance people’s inalienable right, said: “Villages, districts, municipalities, provinces, ministries and departments all need reforms and I want to limit my authority…”

He vowed to eradicate nepotism from state institutions and implement the law in letter and spirit to bring about positive changes to government affairs.

“People want our political will, and we hope our performance in the past two days showed them we are loyal to our pledges,” Ahmadzai added.

After taking oath, Massoud said the national unity government represented all political groups and was responsible to resolve people’s problems.

About poor lifestyle and low economy of Afghans, he said the only way to get rid of poverty was good leadership that could bring reforms. Massoud continued the only reason behind corruption was bad governance.

He asked the Ministry of Telecommunications to devise a system for senior government officials to avoid everyone’s phone contact with them in order to lessen corruption.

About reforms in the community and culture, he said, “We would be unable to create positive changes in the community until all Afghan tribes shun their differences and live with each other like one nation.”

He also asked women, he said.

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