Ghani comes hard on nepotistic hiring

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Thursday ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to sack officials appointed on the basis of nepotism.

A detailed Pajhwok Afghan News report last Sunday found most of the diplomats and senior officials at the MoFA were family members and relatives of government officials and lawmakers. It found that their appointments appeared to be based on nepotism and against rules and merit policy.

Sons and other close relatives of government officials and members of parliament have been appointed on key posts in Afghanistan’s embassies abroad, where a number of embassy staff have sought political asylum.

Speaking at a ceremony arranged to mark the International Women‘s Day on Thursday, the president said: “Our message is clear in partnership. If you want deputy, governor and ambassador positions we have no problem but the appointments must be based on merit policy.”

Ghani informed he had directed MoFA to prepare the list of officials appointed on nepotism basis and then they would be made on the go.

Afghan women should participate as an individual in administration not as a sister, wife or a close relative of an officer, he said, adding women with poor economic background should feel confident when visiting government offices for jobs.

mds/rm

Visits: 6