A number of former government officials and political analysts have criticized President Ashraf Ghani for a number of issues including his management style, the so-called centralization of power and that the president does not have faith in other officials.
According to analysts and former government officials, Ghani currently heads up cabinet and security council meetings and oversees more than seven high councils and commissions.
Meanwhile, Sadiq Muddabir, head of the office of administrative affairs and former council of ministers secretariat during Hamid Karzai’s presidency, said Ghani’s management style has never been practiced before and that it is difficult for him to cover all his duties.
Ghani reportedly conducts all the affairs of government through at least eight commissions and directorates.
In addition to cabinet and security council meetings, he also conducts the High Council for Economics, the High Council for Rule of Law and the Anti-Corruption Council, the High Council for Land and Water, the National Procurement Commission, the High Council for Administrative Reforms, the High Council for Refugees, and the High Council for Urban Development.
Sayed Zafar Hashemi, the deputy spokesman for the president, said: “The president’s authorities are specified in the constitution. Based on that, the president created councils where they discuss the issues more professionally and make decisions in a participatory way.”
It is believed that Ghani spends a lot of time on duties that others could be doing – time that could be spent dealing with matters of grave importance, said former politicians.
Amin Farhang, the former minister of commerce, said: “The president thinks he knows everything and can do everything. Thus, he has monopolized power in the presidential palace.”
Muddabir meanwhile said: “(Former) president Karzai was directly involved only in conducting cabinet meetings, security council meetings and judicial committee meetings. Other committees did their work under the supervision of his first deputy, initially by Ahmad Zia Massoud, then by Marshal Fahim and finally by Yunus Qanuni; and under his second deputy Mohammad Karim Khalili.”
Khalil Roman, a political analyst, said: “They (NUG leaders) did not have teams in place to take over the responsibilities, to share the affairs and to trust each other to make sure of achieving positive results.”
Some analysts have said the recent tension between Ghani and his CEO Abdullah Abdullah was based on the centralization of power. www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/27028-ghanis-management-style-under-scrutiny
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