KATHMANDU: An ego clash between the Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Sarv Dev Prasad Ojha and the Member-Secretary of the Social Welfare Council Dr Chhewang N Lama has put in jeopardy the future of more than 35 international non-governmental organisations operating in Nepal.
Some of the affected INGOs have been operating their projects on health, women, and children.
Minister Ojha, who is also the Chairperson of the SWC, had suspended member-secretary Dr Lama and two other SWC officials in early October, accusing them of committing irregularities. He has submitted a proposal before the Cabinet to dismiss the trio. However, the cabinet is yet to approve it.
Ojha represents the Tarai Madhes Democratic Party in the CPN-UML-led ruling coalition.
Dr Lama, who was appointed during UCPN-M-led coalition government, however, has been regularly attending office despite the minister’s action. “Our term should have been renewed by September, but due to conflict between the ministry and the council, we may have to suspend all our operational programmes,” a country representative of a renowned INGO told The Himalayan Times.
Around 250 INGOs are registered with the SWC, most of them operating in Nepal. Their terms fall in three categories: bi-annual, tri-annual and five-yearly. Since their terms have to be renewed by December-end, more than 35 INGOs awaiting ministry’s approval have been left in limbo.
Two of the oldest INGOs, International Nepal Fellowship and United Mission to Nepal, have been operating programmes under health and social welfare sectors after temporary approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. INF and UMN, operating since 1952 and 1954, respectively, had to turn to MoFA after they failed to get their terms renewed following due process.
According to a provision of law, the SWC has to submit renewal report to the ministry for approval. It’s only after the ministry’s approval that SWC completes the renewal process. A senior official at the SWC confirmed that they had already submitted the list of INGOs seeking term-renewal to the ministry. Frequent attempts to contact Member-Secretary Dr Lama went in vain.
Minister Ojha said affected INGOs’ terms would not be renewed unless those suspended were replaced. “The cabinet must approve my proposal, otherwise no INGO will get extension,” he threatened. He, however, denied that the trio’s suspension was part of political vendetta.
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Fate+of+35+INGOs+hangs+in+balance+&NewsID=267882
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