Corruption is centered in the presidential palace and in the National Procurement Authority (NPA), said the executive director of Jamiat-e-Islami party Atta Mohammad Noor addressing a gathering in Mazar-e-Sharif city on Saturday.
Noor, the ousted governor of northern Balkh province, said the presidential palace and NPA are centers of corruption and that their anti-corruption slogans are just lies.
“Corruption is in the presidential palace. The special procurement commission for big projects is a big source of corruption,” said Noor.
Noor claimed he has documents that show millions of dollars have been embezzled in the security forces’ fuel contracts under the pretext of customs exemptions.
“All the revenue resources of ministries and departments have been monopolized by the presidential palace. No contract and project are implemented unless they (the presidential palace) take their share. Most of Afghanistan’s big companies have been blacklisted and they are not allowed to get a contract, except a few companies who share interests (with the presidential palace),” Noor added.
Meanwhile, the anti-corruption institutions said they have not received any document or evidence regarding the corruption at the presidential palace or at the NPA and if they receive, they will act accordingly.
“We have not received any letter or evidence regarding the existence of corruption in these departments. If we receive such documents, we will start our investigation and will find out the truth,” Hussain Fakhri, head of the High Office of Oversight and Anti-corruption said.
“There are some accusations regarding the political corruption at the NPA. It means that the politicians get some projects using their power and influence,” Nasim Samimi, a member of Afghan Anti-Corruption network said.
The presidential palace has not commented on Noor’s remarks, but defense ministry refused to talk to TOLOnews regarding his accusations.
Noor’s remarks have been expressed amid the unresolved tensions between him and the president Ashraf Ghani over the latter’s approval of his resignation.
The Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) says that Engineer Mohammad Dawood has been appointed as Balkh governor instead of Noor, but Noor says he won’t leave Balkh unless the government and Jamiat-e-Islami party reach an agreement.