5 MoF highest paid vacancies filled against merit

KABUL (Pajhwok): A former spokesman for the Ministry of Finance (MoF) on Thursday claimed five employees at the ministry had been appointed on highest paid jobs in violation of a presidential decree and merit.

According to the presidential decree 825, the appointments of the second and higher positions should be processed through the Independent Administrative Reforms and Civil Services Commission (IARCSC) and then referred to the Presidential Palace for confirmation.

But former MoF spokesman Abdul Qadir Jailani told reporters in Kabul that Finance Minister Eklil Hakimi had referred the appointments of five employees directly to the Presidential Palace circumventing the IARCSC.

Documents Jailani presented at the press conference show each of the five employees of the ministry receive 150,000 afghanis to 200,000 afghanis in per month salary.

The documents show Hakimi has introduced Mohammad Qahir Haidari as acting administrative and financial director at MoF against 200,000 afghanis salary, an appointment that has been approved by the president.

According to the papers, Ziaur Rahman Halimi was recommended to be hired as general director MoF budget in exchange for 200,000 afghanis salary to the Presidential Palace. The palace has approved his designation in acting capacity but increased Halimi’s salary to 250,000 afghanis.

The president has directed the MoF and IARCSC to appoint qualified individuals through an open competition to the acting positions.

Based on the documents, Aimal Jahangir has been introduced as procurement director at the ministry with monthly salary of 150,000 afghanis and the president has directed that he would be appointed as acting procurement director with the same pay scale.

The documents also show that the Finance Ministry has introduced Hidayatullah as director of properties at the ministry against 150,000 afghanis per month salary and the president has approved him as acting director with the same salary.

The president has also directed the Finance Ministry and the Independent Administrative Reforms Commission to fill the post through open competition.

Based on the documents, the ministry has introduced Sefatullah Rahimi as head of the chief of staff to the minister with a salary of 200,000 afghanis per month and the president has approved his appointment but also directed the ministry and the reforms commission to fill the post through an open competition process.

Jilani said: “This is completely illegal and against the president’s own decree. This should be referred to the judicial organs.”

Jilani said Mohammad Shafiqullah Qarizada, deputy finance minister, had close relations with the minister and had appointed his four brothers in the ministry.

He said he would also present the documents to the president to prevent such anomalies in future.

He said those sacked had master’s and PhD degrees in economics and those recently appointed did not even have degrees in economics.

He said Niazi Sangar was a journalist but had been appointed as Khost province’s customs department director.

Ajmal Hamid Abdulrahimzai, finance ministry spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News the finance minister had always preferred professionalism over personal relations, adding that experience, expertise and honesty were main criteria for appointments in the ministry.

“We take these criteria into consideration when we recruit people, but we reject Jilani’s claims and we’ll deliver on our promises of reforms in the ministry..,” he added.

Abdulrahimzai said Niazi Sangar was appointed as Khost customs director just last week and it was premature to judge his performance.

He said the Finance Ministry regularly evaluated the performance of its employees and those involved in corruption or without talent would be sacked immediately.

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