SNNP takes legal measures against 535 government officials

(EBC, February 15, 2016)- The Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Regional State has announced that legal measure is taken against 535 officials as part of the government’s effort to strengthen good governance in the country.

Head of the Region’s Communication Affairs Office, Hikma Keyredin, told Walta Information Center that the region has been taking measure against 535 officials in relation to lack of good governance and rent seeking behaviors.

Hikma noted that the measure was taken against officials in different levels of the regional state structure, ranging from regional offices down to Keble levels.

She told Walta that the region is working to address public grievances and concerns in relation to services of justice institutions in the region. She said that the region’s justice administration is conducting self-evaluation in order to address problems related to the justice system.

The region has developed a strategic document for the evaluation. The document is aimed at scrutinizing those who played their part in mal-governance practices and make them accountable to the law. “The same holds true with the police force. Scrutiny and clearing of police officials and officers is under way. W will make the measures taken against law enforcing bodies public once we are done with it,” she said.

Hikma told Walta that the measures taken so far have removed regional vice bureau heads, Officers, zonal department heads, Woreda office heads and Kebele leaders.

She said that the regional central committee will convene its meeting in the near future and is expected to focus on leaders’ evaluation.

Following the widespread good governance campaign in the region, the regional state has managed to retrieve 4,000 hectares of rural land and 339 meter square urban land occupied illegally due to wide spread maladministration practices, she said.

Besides, the regional state has recovered 17 million birr from the hands of individuals who collected the cash without valid receipt and illegal charges, added Hikma.

Hikma also told Walta that more than 400 jobs and promotions are cancelled following a thorough investigation in to the cases.