2.6 million Afghan currency misappropriated in Ghazni COVID-19 fund: Report

Kabul [Afghanistan], November 1 (ANI): Corruption worth 2.6 million afs (Afghan currency) has been unearthed in Afghanistan's Ghazni province where medical equipment and medicines required for coronavirus treatment were purchased at higher rates, according to a media report.
Medical equipment and medicines have been purchased at a higher rate for COVID-19 Treatment Centre in Ghazni province, reported Pajhwok Afghan News.
In total, the equipment was purchased at 2,654,502 afs higher rate compared to the normal market price.
According to previous Ghazni government officials, 20 million afs were spent to deal with the pandemic while the remaining 40 million afs was returned to the government treasury, reported the publication.
From the given fund 4.5 million afs were spent on purchasing machinery and some equipment that was helpful in the treatment of coronavirus.
Last year, after the spread of coronavirus, the government allocated special funds for every province to deal with the pandemic. Ghazni province was given 60 million afs.
Pajhwok has received documents and information regarding the purchase of medical machinery and equipment and compared them with market prices.
A committee tasked to purchase medical equipment and machinery for the Ghazni Coronavirus Treatment Centre had purchased 42 different items at the cost of 4,556,212 afs.
Pajhwok investigation showed almost all equipment had been purchased at two times higher rates than the market price.
A total of 4,556,212 afs were released for the purchase of these items while according to market price these items are available at the normal market price of 1,901,710 afs.
As a result, a total of 2,654,502 afs had been embezzled by relevant authorities in the coronavirus fund allocated for Ghazni province.
The residents of Ghazni province said previous government officials committed corruption in the coronavirus fund at a time when the pandemic was claiming precious lives, reported Pajhwok Afghan News.
They said people hoped funds allocated for the Ghazni Coronavirus Centre would be spent transparently but then officials committed corruption in the fund.
It is worth mentioning that last month Pajhwok got some documents that showed massive corruption in the Ghazni Education Department where a computer worth 28,000 afs was bought for 40,000 afs. (ANI)