Non-transparent appointments: CDA shelves performance audit plan for HR dept

The authority had invited consultants to carry out assessment in August 2013.


Danish Hussain August 02, 2014

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has scrapped the process of conducting a performance audit of its troubled human resource (HR) department.

The authority had sought technical and financial proposals from international consultants and chartered accountancy firms to carry out the assessment through an advertisement in August last year.

“The performance audit will focus on economy, efficiency, accountability and transparency in the human resource department with emphasis on the importance of internal controls and checks and balances such as monitoring, reviewing current practices, policies, and procedures,” read the advert published in newspapers last year.

The issue of thousands of irregular appointments made on political basis in the civic agency during the previous two regimes was stated to be the reason behind the decision. CDA officials say such appointments resulted in A decline in the performance of the HR department.

“During the tenure of Faisal Saleh Hayat as the interior minister, hundreds of direct appointments were made in the authority. The appointees are now holding senior positions such as directors and deputy directors but have little or no idea of how to get the job done,” said an official of the authority.

Similarly, irregular up-gradation of various low-cadre posts at the behest of the CDA labour union has also marred affairs of the civic agency.

Talking to The Express Tribune, a CDA board member said it was not the first time the authority had planned a performance audit of its HR department.

“Every time a reform-oriented and proactive officer assumes charge, he strives to streamline HR issues. During the tenure of Kamran Lashari, an effort was made to engage an international firm for the HR audit but it never materialised,” said the board member, adding that even the last chairman announced a comprehensive HR policy but it never saw any light of day.

An official of the administration wing said the civic agency has not completely abandoned the plan. “The process will be revived soon,” he said.

Another hindrance in enhancing performance of CDA staffers is the lack of capacity-building programmes. The authority recently revived its training academy but many at CDA claim officials are not interested to get enrolled in training programmes.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2nd, 2014.

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