Delay in release of funds a serious issue: Weesa

KANDAHAR CITY (PAN): The Kandahar governor on Thursday accused line ministries of refusing to cooperate with his administration in the timely release of budgetary allocations.

At a meeting with Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General Ján Kubiš, Governor Toryalai Weesa complained development projects in the province had been hamstrung by payment delays.

During talks with the governor and other local officials, Kubiš referred to the UNAMA report on illegal prisons and inmate torture in the province.

“The report, which is not exclusively focused on Kandahar, aims to rectify and improve the prisoners’ situation,” the top UN diplomat explained.

He believed Kandahar could play a vital role in the ongoing process of security transition as well as the 2014 presidential ballot.

For his part, Weesa also noted improvement in security at the district level. “Governance has also improved, with the activation of judicial organs. Many schools have been reopened and health services extended to remote areas.”

However, he identified the paucity of funds as a serious problem facing the province. Since the ministries did not cooperate with the provincial authorities, development activity had slowed down, he complained.

Weesa urged the UNAMA chief to work with the international community on an employment-generating plan. Unemployed people could swell the Taliban’s ranks, he feared.

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