MEC Monitoring of Ministry Anti-Corruption plans: Ministry of Communications & IT, 2017

During the year 2016, The Ministry of Communication, Information and Technology committed to implementing an Anti-Corruption Plan. Almost all Ministries have developed such plans. MEC is carrying out reviews of these Ministry plans, and is reporting here on its first review of the Ministry of Communication, Information and Technology (MCIT) Anti-Corruption plan. MEC’s finding is that MCIT is so far almost entirely failing go implement its Anti-Corruption Plan. The MCIT plan contains four priority action areas: transparent collection and management of revenues in telecommunication sector; enhancement of electronic governance services; hiring competent people and introducing organizational reform; and raising public awareness. MEC has observed several reasons behind the overall failure so far to implement the plan. The lack of genuine commitment among top-level managers inside MCIT is the number one factor. Establishment of modern systems to ensure transparent collection of revenue is viewed as an impediment to illicit source of incomes of corrupt officials. Continued political interventions and nepotism in the recruitment process are other key reasons that have inhibited the presence of qualified young Afghans in this ministry. The impact of the failure to prevent and combat corruption in MCIT has been huge nationally, particularly on collection and increment of revenue. MCIT’s failure to properly achieve ACP has circumscribed the ability of the National Unity Government, for instance, to collect the 10 percent tax that is deducted by private telecommunication companies from mobile phone users. Lack of a massive crackdown on illegal SIM Boxes inflicts revenue damage too to wireless operators. In addition, complicated organizational Tashkeel and absence of a merit-based recruitment process are the second major reason why MCIT has not made more progress in implementing the Anti-Corruption Plan. The recruitment process of the Ministry of Communication, Information and Technology is weak. For example, just recently, several vacancies have been announced by the HR Directorate notwithstanding the fact that the hiring process remains unchanged and vulnerable to interventions and nepotism.On the positive side, notwithstanding the fact that MCIT did not accomplish its major anti-corruption priorities, public complaints are received, investigated and addressed. This achievement has been attained after proper systems were put in place. Therefore, most of the operations of this revenue generating ministry are still seriously plagued by rampant corruption and inefficiencies. The staff of MCIT has acknowledged that prompt decisions are urgently required to expedite the procurement of RTDMS and establishment of Fraud Management Systems to bring transparency in collection and increment of revenues.