Refugee Aid Organization defrauded

Rescue Aid NRC AfghanistanAfghan boy trying to escape the war. Photo: Flykinghjelpen (NRC)

Refugee Aid Organization defrauded by local staff in Afghanistan

During an internal audit made by Flyktinghjelpen (Norwegian Refugee Aid, NRC), it has been discovered that locally employed staff at the Kabul office has scammed substantial sums, according to VG.

 

Two employees of the Norwegian Refugee Aid (NRC) office in the Afghan capital scammed the organization of more than $ 46,000 in 2016, writes VG. This corresponds to about NOK 390,000 at the current exchange rate.

– The two employees have falsified signatures for travel expenses and electricity bills, as well as inflating costs in connection with the purchase for operation and maintenance work, writes anti-corruption and investigation adviser in the Refugee Aid, Berit Faye-Petersen, in an email to the newspaper.

Of the money the two employees garnished illegally, NOK 101,000 is related to projects covered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. NOK 41,000 is from projects paid for by NORAD.

After thorough investigation, the two employees are fired. Faye-Petersen states that the NGO has reevaluated analyzes of the regional office in Afghanistan. The employees have also undergone additional anti-corruption training.

Press spokesperson in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ingrid Kvammen Ekker, writes in an email to VG that the ministry considers this issue to be followed up in a good manner by the Norwegian Refugee Aid.

The Norwegian aid organization aim to help refugees worldwide and employs more than 6,000 people

 

©  NTB Scanpix / Norway Today