Formerly, it was disclosed that American reconstruction fund disbursed via United Nation Development Program (UNDP) encountered suspected fraud committed by officials at the Afghan Interior Ministry who had taken “dubious” deductions from police salaries. It is publicized, since January 2011, the U.N.D.P. has paid out more than $1.62 billion that has been used largely to cover the salaries and pensions of Afghan police officers.
The incumbent president Ashraf Ghani, a former World Bank executive, understands the procedure of delivery, disbursing of funds and its appropriate handling. He has spoken out openly and compellingly about the need to battle corruption in public offices. It should be imbibed, the rhetoric alone can’t work, unless tangible action plans are chart out.
Afghanistan stands among the poorest countries of world with more than 60 percent of its population living below or slightly above the line of poverty. The reason behind the failure to strengthen the backbone of Afghan economy is the severe security problems and deep-rooted corruption. The former has deteriorated with each passing year while to counter the later Karzai administration had completely failed; as believed that the government itself was engaged in corruption. It is anticipated the new government will work out a plan to eradicate this great menace. As the problems of security and corruption persist, there seems to be very few people thinking about bringing prosperity in the life of a common man.
The former four decades of war have earned nothing except ruins, countless miseries and devastation. The year’s long war destroyed economic infrastructures completely and dragged Afghanistan towards annulment. No significant progress has been made albeit there have been international efforts to make Afghanistan's economy stand on its own, improve the living standard of people and create more job opportunities as the menace of corruption constantly depleted the rate of progress.
The ten-year international effort has failed to create job opportunities and millions of Afghans, today, are suffering the negative impacts of unemployment. The consistency of unemployment in the country is doing much to widen the gap between people and the government. Among the several problems given birth to by joblessness, three seem to be very concerning. First, it is firmly believed that desperate youths join the insurgents groups who promise them attractive rewards. This can be conceived a major reason for soaring number of insurgents and insecurity graph in Afghanistan. Second, people giving up hope after continuous failure to get a job and are getting addicted to drugs. The number of drug addicts in the country has crossed the figure of 1.5 million. This figure includes teenagers and women. Third, Afghans, risking their lives, travel to other countries of the world to seek better living condition. In this way the work force of Afghanistan is utilized by other countries whilst Afghanistan itself is in dire need of reconstruction and development works. Although it is difficult to address social and economic issues without bringing the security condition under thumb, the government needs to address the problem of employment within the available means. The first thing it can do is to root out corruption that seems to be aiding all sorts of crimes including insurgency.
The misuse, exploitation and maltreatment of public property, assets and a position of authority for fulfillment of an individual’s cravings than collective needs and requirements, is an act of manipulation and corruption. A number of influential personalities involved in money embezzlement from public offices, heinous crime against citizens and power misuse were given amnesty without being subjected to strict measures entailing answerability. This attitude of government had discouraged new investments with remnants intended to downsizing and withdrawing a dire omen for progress of country needs immediate reversal by practical measures. This implies that the expanding role of government in development has placed the bureaucracy in a monopolistic position and has enhanced the opportunities for unlimited administrative misappropriation.
Putting an end to this very issue requires committed leadership, owing to take serious and long lasting decisions for the elimination of the prevalent corruption. Seemingly, the unity government is all-encompassing government that contains every section of Afghan society; nonetheless it’s frequently subjected to prolonged suspension over making critical decisions on significant issues, as witnessed at present relative to distribution of ministries. In spite of unexpected delays in cabinet formation, an end to prevalent corruption will render one of the foremost challenges for both president and chief executive. To accomplish that Ashraf Ghani, who assumed the office in September, must first focus on getting a cabinet in place. However, accomplishment of significant tasks requires credible individuals hoisted for corresponding ministries, capable of ridding the departments out of calamities.
Afghanistan needs a set of holistic and pragmatic reforms: firstly, focus on prevention and changing systems through changing values, creating a culture of professionalism and training; secondly, provision of adequate pay and ensuring deterrence; thirdly, identify government activities most prone to the problem of corruption and review both substantive law and administrative procedures; fourthly, enforce accountability mechanisms and learn from good practices and examples of others; fifthly, enact comprehensive anti-corruption legislation; sixthly, establish broad ownership of reforms, among others, by creating strong partnership with the civil society and the private sector; and lastly, make corruption high risk and low profit.