Efforts underway to downsize govt institutions

KABUL (Tolo News): Assessments have been started by the administrative reforms commission to downsize some government institutions, as the commission sees “organizational inflation” in some public offices.

The Independent Administrative Reforms and Civil Service Commission said there are 430,000 employees in official government institutions and at least 20,000 contractors.

The commission reiterated that this needs to change. “It is among the priorities of the government and the administrative reforms commission to find additional posts and make efforts to downsize them,” said Ahmad Massoud Tokhi, head of the civil service office of the commission.

The decision is followed by anxiety over the announcement of the withdrawal of foreign forces, but the Presidential Palace said the withdrawal will not impact the international community’s assistance to Afghanistan. “Overall, support continues to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Withdrawal has no ties with aid reduction,” said Latif Mahmoud, a presidential spokesman.

The Defense Ministry said that there wouldn’t be any change in the financing of the defense forces. “Based on our meetings with high-ranking military officials, the international community has vowed to continue financial support after withdrawal,” said Sayed Hasan Paktiawal, a member of the defense committee of the Parliament.
A watchdog organization said that there is a need for a change in government institutions but reiterated that the expected reforms need to be well-structured.

Downsizing government institutions can have a negative impact on expected goals set by the government if relevant stakeholders are not consulted,” said Nasir Taimuri, a researcher at Integrity Watch Afghanistan. Figures show there are at least 800,000 military forces and civilian administrative workers in the government.