Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, April 25th, 2024

Solutions to Administrative Corruption

|

Solutions to Administrative Corruption

Administrative Corruption, as a biggest challenge after war, is the main hurdle to the wellbeing, stability and tranquillity in Afghanistan. Billions of dollars in development and reconstruction assistance were poured into the country, but did not transform the lives of Afghans as much as expected; they all wasted because of this very headache. Over 40 percent of Afghans still live below the poverty line, and Afghanistan remains to be among the world’s most underdeveloped countries. Lawlessness, insecurity and Unemployment have reached an unprecedented level, pressing many young Afghans to flee the country every year.
Corruption is the outcome of various factors in Afghanistan and its consequences are also widespread in the country. When corruption is expanded and tolerated, a special moral atmosphere will be created in which violation of primary moral principals will be considered accepted culture. As a result, the culture of lawlessness becomes a kind of law. On the other hand possibility of misusing administration authorities and achieving personal interests will make the occasion that administrative officials will feel secure from any kind of punishment and become confident that having money and relations with powerful groups will deliver them from punishment under the laws. Impacts and outcome of this feel of immunity will be decrease in respect to the Constitution, decrease in sound opportunity for improvement of individuals, association and organizations and finally decrease in community development, stopping of development and end of devolvement process in the country.
Despite existence of administrative reform programs and battle against corruption which lots of attempt has been done still the problem of corruption has not been solved. The question which is raised here is why? The reason is not lack of laws, because it is clear that specifically on the issue of administrative and financial affairs to prevent misuse of incomes and resources of the government, offices and procedures of monitoring and control are a lot that even sometimes causes lag in conducting the programs. Still corruption and misuses are a major part administrative system. So we should search the main reasons of corruption more broadly in Cultural, social, economical, political and administrative factors.
In fact, Afghanistan is in a situation that state is unable to provide a comprehensive and general program to cover political, economical and security aspects; it is responsibility of community elites and research institutions to take part and decrease distrust of people on the government by providing a political, economical and social strategy. It is also duty of international community and supporter of reform to work together and lead Afghan community toward democracy considering values of belief, and valued social costumes and provides more support for the government to be reformed.  
It should be mentioned here that War creates corruption. During the war police and security forces who are responsible to detect corruption, are busy with war so crime detection and arrest of criminals are not done accurately. On the other hand, during war a big amount of government’s budget is being spent on weapon and war expenses. This money can be used for prosperity of people and employees of government.  So by end of the war, a major factor of corruption which is bribery and embezzlement can be removed.
Most of the government personnel get the lowest salary comparing to the regional and international country while they are the breadwinner of large families. Indeed, the salaries they receive are not possible to cover the very basic needs let alone to compare with other countries.
Since social, political and economical conditions are different from one community to others, for example condition and ground for reform are different in liberal and communist states compared to Islamic states therefore it is essential to find an applicable model for administrative reform in Afghanistan considering its condition.
Public awareness programs for people and public administration staff through media, judicial and justice institutions and public administration, can also be a solution. Hiring educated, experienced and honest people without political consideration by leading officials in various positions of the administration is also effective on prevention of corruption. Administration capacity building to organize public services in all levels of administration will also be helpful to prevent corruption. Produce and cultivation of narcotics are creating corruption, by preventing cultivation and production of narcotics a factor of corruption will be removed. Increase in duty supervision, control and reporting in all sections of administration up to high ranking officials, can be another solution to remove corruption. To cope with corruption in Afghanistan, national impetus is necessary (by government and public), until people and government are not working together to prevent corruption, corruption will not be removed. Transparency in administration is highly required, work of all institutions should be supervised by High Office of Oversight & Anti Corruption on a monthly basis and appropriate actions should be taken. Existence of law and offices of anti corruption are not enough, laws should be implemented so all employees believe that if they commit corruption, they will be punished. Experience has shown that anti-corruption campaign will come to fruition when the top-bottom approach is adopted, meaning that the upper reaches of the government should be targeted first, but it is very sad to say that the contrary is true in Afghanistan. As part of its symbolic efforts, the government has tried some of its low-level, unaffiliated personnel on corruption charges, while those behind major corruption cases are senior government officials.

Mohammad Zahir Akbari is the newly emerging writer of the Daily Outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at mohammadzahirakbari@ gmail.com

Go Top