Badakhshan projects marred by graft, allege residents

FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): Residents and civil society activists on Sunday alleged a majority of development projects were marred by brazen corruption in northeastern Badakhshan province.

They voiced the claim at a gathering titled “better coordination of development projects and good governance”. Hundreds of residents, civil society activists and local officials were in attendance.

Syed Omar Baher, a civil society activist, said some of the projects had not been evaluated. For instance, he added, construction of a canal, a $5.5 million project in 4^th police district of Faizabad, had many shortcomings. “One of the walls does not have a concrete foundation.”

Deputy Governor Gul Mohammad Bedar promised to form a committee, also including civil society activists, to evaluate the project and submit its report. “It is residents’ and civil society’s responsibility to monitor such projects.”

Ghulam Mohammad, a resident of 6^th police district, told Pajhwok Afghan News more than 8,000 families living in the area lacked potable water and they consumed river water.

Faizabad has around 100,000 residents and half of them have no access to clean water.

Shah Wali Adeeb, the acting governor, said their performance in areas of education faculty, girls’ hostel, provincial hospital and hydropower dams as some major achievements.

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