KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani in person scrutinised procurement contracts of various ministries, the power utility and the Supreme Court at a high level meeting last night, the Presidential Palace said on Sunday.
The contracts of ministries scrutinised included defence, education, energy and water, public works, higher education and the Administrative Affairs Department at the Presidential Palace, a statement from the palace said.
It said the scrutiny of contracts took place Saturday night at the weekly meeting of the National Procurement Commission.
Second Vice-President Mohammad Sarwar Danish and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah were also present at the meeting. They discussed crucial issues pertaining to the commission’s efficiency.
The president stressed effective approach in the procurement process and ordered the Ministry of Education to create an atmosphere of competition among publishers and printing houses by demanding quality and discount in future contracts.
Discussing the role of foreign specialists and advisors, Ghani asked the Energy and Water Ministry to develop an administrative and management system and provide him with a report on the implementation of Central Asia South Asia (CASA) 1,000 MW electricity project.
He lauded the Administrative Affairs Department’s economical approach that saved 47 million afghanis in 10 procurement contracts last year.
He suggested the creation of a separate fund from the Public Works Ministry’s budget for rehabilitation of bumpy roads and ordered Higher Education officials to improve hostels’ condition and food quality for students. The president demanded transparency in contracts of the Ministry of Defence.
He said the government would never cause a delay in supply of logistics, weapon and others to the Defence Ministry, but a transparent approach was mandatory.
The scrutiny of contracts came after a $215 million graft case was unearthed in one of the oil contracts of the Ministry of Defence last year.
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