CCI accused of embezzling $3m

GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): The governor of southern Ghazni province on Saturday alleged that a non-governmental organization (NGO), known as Community Cohesion Initiative (CCI), had embezzled $3 million in development funds.

The CCI, which receives funds from the USAID, is working on different projects in nine provinces. Ghazni Governor Musa Khan Akbarzada, in his exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News, said the NGO had no licence.

He added CCI was collecting international aid to carry out development schemes in Maqur, Gilan and Qarabagh districts of Ghazni.

“Our information shows the NGO has collected funds for development schemes in the three districts but no uplift work can be seen on the ground. It has committed a theft of $3 million, which should be probed,” the governor said.

He recalled the CCI had been working for the last three years in the three districts on building coordination among people and other reconstruction activities.

“The NGO was unable to provide me with a work permit and it had not been able to complete even 10 percent of work,” he alleged.

The CCI had been getting funds for school buildings and providing sports facilities but did not spend the money properly.

Although CCI claimed completing carpentry, tailoring and literacy courses, he said his investigation revealed no such development had been done in the three districts.

A commission had been tasked to investigate the work of CCI and legal action would be taken if it did not find development projects done by the NGO, he promised. He said a complaint had already been sent to the central government.

Commerce Director Sayed Latifullah supported the governor’s view by saying that his department had no yet registered CCI, which was carrying out development projects on its own.

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