Paktia: Acting officials behind sluggish administration

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Thirteen departments in southeastern Paktia province are still headed by acting officials, an issue that has created barriers to good governance.

Civil society activists and youth have demanded the government’s attention to the problem, suggesting the acting officials be replaced by professional and experienced people.

Acting officials in Janikhel, Zazai Aryub, Ahmad Aba and Shwak districts hold charge of education protection, transport, telecommunication and information technology, as well as the university’s financial and administrative departments.

Mohammad Shafiq Mohammadi, a lecturer at the Paktia University, said acting officials were behind poor administration and non-implementation of projects in the capital and districts of the province.

“Most of the acting heads illegally hold their positions. I mean some of these officials have been in acting positions for years. Public complaints are on the rise against such departments. No changes have been made yet despite promises of their replacement,” he said.

A civil society activist, Ajmal Massoudzai, was of the same view, saying departments led by acting directors showed poor management and their staffers did not discharge their duties properly. “An acting director cannot hire or fire any official. They have limited authority.”

The Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC) head for the southeastern region, Ghulam Ali Joshan, acknowledged acting officials had no powers and the term of some had already expired.

“Some of the acting officials are not appointed under presidential orders; they are hired by ministers, which is against the law,” he claimed.

Abdullah, a resident of Ahmad Aba district, said some of his legal tasks related to the telecommunication and information technology office were awaiting signatures of the acting director.

“My employment procedure in telecommunication and information technology office is dependent on approval from the office head. Other problems also exist in the office that need to be resolved,” he said.

Abdullah Hasrat, the governor’s spokesman,  said some of the officials had been appointed under the Capacity-Building for Results (CBR) programme -- a long process -- and the officials needed to meet many procedures.

“We have repeatedly asked the central government to fill the vacant posts as soon as possible,” Hasrat said.

Based on the relevant law, no official can remain in an acting position for more than three months. Many posts in ministries and departments are being held by acting officials in Paktia and other provinces.

mds/mud