Rahmani decries drastic changes in govt staffing

KABUL (Tolo News): Mir Rahman Rahmani, the Speaker of the Wolesi Jirga, or the Afghan house of representatives, called on the Afghan government to swiftly stop the process of drastically eliminating jobs or changing government institutions, which will increase unemployment in the country.

Rahmani raised grave apprehensions over the status of employment in the country, saying a further increase in unemployment could lead the country into a job recession. Meanwhile, officers and employees of a 300-bed police hospital in Kabul criticized the government for removing them from their posts.

They said that the government has hired new people in their posts. In a surprise move earlier this week, the government fired over 90 percent of employees from the 300-bed hospital.

“I rent lodging, I have small children, what should I do now, how long should we use nepotism to get a job?” said Mohammad Abbas, a former accountant at the police hospital. “I graduated from the police academy, I have obtained a degree to work in the pharmacy,” said Ali, a former officer at the hospital. “I took an exam in the accounting field, if they find someone better than me, then it is OK, otherwise, I was fired,” said Abdul Naseer Qayoumi, an employee of the hospital.

The Interior Ministry has not commented on the allegations. “Afghanistan is one of the countries with the highest unemployment numbers. Reduction or elimination of the institutions or mass removal of employees from the job has increased unemployment. One of the fundamental duties of the government is to create jobs, therefore the government shouldn’t remove or neglect the state institutions; otherwise, unemployment will be worse,” said Rahmani, the speaker of parliament. Previously, similar criticism was raised against the government by the employees of the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.