Arghandiwal fired over MoF non-compliance with probe team

KABUL (Pajhwok): Former Finance Minister Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal was removed from office after a high level delegation investigating the Ministry of Finance (MoF)’s affairs complained about lack of cooperation from the ministry’s staff and recommended the removal of some officials.

On Saturday, President Ashraf Ghani sacked Minister of Finance Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal and replaced him with Khalid Painda, according to the Administrative Affairs Office (AAO).

The AAO said in a statement that via two separate decrees, President Ashraf Ghani replaced Arghandiwal with Khalild Painda as minister of finance.

The presidential decree called delays in revenue collection, non-cooperation with the joint committee investigating illegal pensions in MoF and obstruction of such investigations as reasons for Arghandiwal’s removal.

Arghandiwal was also accused of poor management, lack of commitment to good governance and non-observance of Article 77 of the Constitution, disregarding rules and instructions from the president’s office.

The AAO in a letter to MoF dated January 19 wrote that in line with direction No. 3668 dated November 02/2020, a delegation appointed for the purpose of investigation in MoF has submitted its report along with it’s recommendations to the president and the board’s proposals have been approved by the High Authority.

Recommendations:

The source said: “After the merger of the two recommended lists, 138 employees should be identified and removed from their posts. The removal of 59 employees can be enforced after the date of directions issued. All officials involved in illegal appointments as proposers, mediators and executors should be removed from their duties and referred to the Attorney General’s Office for prosecution and the Secretary Revenue and Customs should be tasked that besides the dismissal of 138  employees, other employees illegally appointed throughout last year in this department should identified and removed.”

It is also said that Mohammad YunusRahnaward, based on the findings of the previous board, should be dismissed from his position and should be referred to the Attorney General Office over alleged financial corruption in the Transport Department of Herat.

The appointment procedure of other departmental heads should be inspected through the Revenue and Customs Department and on the basis of the investigation result, their futures should be decided.”

The source writes that violating the cabinet’s decision is a crime in the penal code and an investigation should be carried out in this regard.

The source wrote about the delays in installation of customs equipment, which the board suggested to clarify the reasons for not completing project and negligence committed in submission of the project completion. It directed investigation in this regard to identify individuals, including secretary fiancé, to be dismissed from their posts and referred to judicial organs.

The report completed four days ago asked that Finance Minister Arghandiwal should be questioned why he did not provided information to the investigation delegation which is bound to report to the President.

The report states that the issue of violations at Herat Customs has already been shared with the Attorney General’s Office and that the department will submit a report about the results of the investigation. Some MoF officials who were involved in this decision despite being informed about the violations in Herat Customs should be investigated.

“The Audit Department of MoF shall immediately complete the papers related to the Director General of Customs and send them back to the AGO. The Director General of Customs should be dismissed for violating the provisions of the law and for disobeying the instructions of the authorities,” according to the letter.

MoF unwillingness to share information

The report said that the finance ministry on some occasions did not provide information. The source said that the MoF during investigation did not provide information about appointment documents, transfers, appointment of acting officials and inspection of officials sent to customs departments. In addition, the ministry did not provide information regarding the list of 106 persons and 59 newly appointed people and the sources.

The report added the MoF did not provide documents and details regarding the appointment of caretakers. How was Herat Customs Department Head HamdullahHamdard appointed, alleged corruption allegations against acting Balkh Customs Department Head, exact number of individuals referred to the MoF by influential persons and appointed at Customs Departments without learning process at the Customs Academy, how did 24 individuals were appointed at Customs Department, why did the Customs Departments posts shortlisted without the procedural rules of the IARCSC, and why did the Human Resource head who was dismissed still cooperated in the short listing process of Customs Departments head.

The report also accused the MoF of not cooperating in successful appointment of Mohammad Younis Rahnaward who was accused of financial corruption, implementation of the Smart System Project and installation of equipment in Customs Offices and the follow up of 2325 corruption cases of the MoF.

The source also said the MoF took no step to implement 41 recommendation of MEC for reforms and to address existing problems and complaints in Customs Departments of Kandahar, Herat, Farah and Nimroz.

The ministry also did not take action against blatant corruption in the Customs Officers of Khost, and Paktia provinces.

The ministry also refrained from sharing information on curtailing the powers of Finance Ministry secretaries, and non-compliance with presidential orders regarding the dismissal of 59 employees, and Human Resource Head of the ministry.

The report read that MoF Human Resources head Mohammad GhulamMullahkhel continued his work despite his dismissal orders and fully participated in the appointment and transfer of caretakers and acting officials.

This comes that according to an official letter last year in November, 59 MoF employees including its HR head had been removed, but the ministry termed the orders against the law.

Mullah Khel, however, was recently arrested by the AGO.

A well-place source wishing not to be named alleged that Arghandiwal appointed some people who had been referred by Wolesi Jirga members in customs departments, but lawmakers strongly rejected the claim.

The source said: “A lawmaker from Nuristan province in front of other lawmakers said that the  Finance Minister had appointed a person on my reference as deputy head of Herat Customs Office. The source alleged that Arghandiwal had appointed deputy head of Herat Customs Office on the reference of Lawmaker GulRahmanRahmani who received $5,000 monthly over appointment of his man.

In addition, Arghandiwal is accused of appointing the Balkh Customs Department head on the request of Lawmaker Abdul Khaliq who received money from the Customs Department head over his appointment.

However, GulRahmanHamdard and Syed Hameedullah, head of the Ismeal ATEKA office, rejected the accusations.  Hamdard said, “I did not appoint a clerk so far. Everyone who proves it, I will be responsible.”

Samim also rejected the allegations against Arghandiwal that he appointed people on his reference at Customs Offices.

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