Governance and Government

Governance and Government

In an unparalleled move that highlights the fragile; Prime Minister Gilani has created four new federal ministries. This stir really signify link between governance and the government

A statement released by the Prime Minister Secretariat quoted, “In order to ensure clarity in role, integrated service delivery and efficiency in administering the federal administrative function after the implementation of the 18th Amendment…four new
administrative units (ministries) have been created”.

The reformation has been done, we are told, in terms of good governance and the government calls the new plan will bring solidity, improve efficiency and enhance services. There are at least two painfully apparent issues with this latest development.

One, national exchequer will surely have to bear extra costs because of the decision to create new administrative units. When the country’s economy is in awful straits and the government claims it wants to decrease extravagant consumptions, how can it defend
creating new miniseries?

Secondly, before the creation of the new ministries, the federal cabinet is comprised of 38 federal ministers, eight ministers of state and six advisers to Prime Minister. How will four new ministries fulfil the task of governance when 52 portfolios failed
to do so?

The point which brings us to the truth of the matter is that the government is busy creating jobs for itself. In merely constitutional provisions, the government is authorised to do this and would certainly argue that this move has become vital after provincial
devolution under the 18^th amendment.

It is not hard to see that political dues are being delivered.  Out of four, three ministries allocated to ministers having without portfolios and the new ministries of disaster management and national regulations and services will probably be allocated
to make happy the allies, keeping them tied until the next polls.

Hence, far from being vivacious by a wish to ensure better governance and increased competence in running the state’s affairs, the new tidying-up is determined by the simple need to please the ministry-hungry within the government’s ranks.

There is a bar on the government under the 18^th amendment that the number of cabinet members should not surpass 11 percent of the 442 members, which is the total strength of parliament (Senate and National Assembly). This means that there can
be no more than 44 cabinet members.

The number of cabinet members will exceed 50 following the creation of the new ministries. The change in the Rules of Business 1973 is being used to satisfy political allies and give legal cover to the creation of new places.

The recent move has showed that the wastage of income is on a scale that constitutes pressing public concern. The government’s coldness to the public good is harmonised only by the luxuriousness of the benefits it continues to enjoy at public funds.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Oct 28 2011. Filed under Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry