KABUL (SW) – The Integrity Watch Afghanistan claimed on Saturday the Afghan government is yet to give clear accounts of the $ 4 billion worth of foreign aid in the energy sector.
Syed Ikram Afzali, head of the IWA, told a press conference that international community has contributed an estimated $ 4 billion worth of aid for the energy sector since 2002, but the plight of electricity transmission and distribution remains miserable.
He blamed interference in policy matters, management, ambiguities surrounding role of different ministries and development partners, non-implementation of projects as some of the major challenges in this sector.
Meanwhile, Elyas Samadi, head of financial affairs at the Da Afghanistan Breshna Shirkat, has clarified that the international community has only contributed around $ 1.5 billion towards the power sector in the past few years. He said most of these funds have been utilized in acquiring power transmission and distribution cables as well as sub-stations, and the receipts are well-kept by the government and DABS. He added no documents are there about the remaining $ 3 billion worth of proposed aid.
He added that the international community might have noted funds that are spent by them without specifying any exact projects.
The IWA report said poor governance has led to the fact that up to 65 per cent of population remains deprived of electricity in Afghanistan. It said the National Unity Government had pledged in 2015 to improve access to electricity in the country to 56 per cent, however, it still remains around 35 per cent.
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