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Jordanians see wasta as essential to obtain gov’t jobs — survey

By Khetam Malkawi - Apr 20,2015 - Last updated at Apr 20,2015

AMMAN — Between 60 per cent and 90 per cent of Jordanian respondents to a recent survey rated wasta — using personal and family connections — as essential for obtaining a government job.

Therefore, government agencies are often not staffed with people who are incentivised, or motivated, to deliver quality services, a statement issued by the World Bank said, in reference to the results of the “Governance and Local Development” survey conducted by the Yale University Council on Middle East Studies.

The survey, according to the Yale website, was conducted across the full range of Jordanian municipalities in 2014.

It examined the factors that drive political participation at the local and national levels and assessed public attitudes towards local elections, service delivery, social networks, citizen relationships with and trust of public officials, and gender issues.

Wasta is not only practised in the public sector, but also has an influence in the private sector, according to Ahmad Awad, director of the Phenix Centre for Economic and Informatics Studies.

Awad believes that proficiency is no longer a requirement for employment in the Kingdom unfortunately, as having connections has become the main requirement.

This, he noted, affects the efficiency and productivity of most agencies, and a majority of new graduates take a long time to find jobs, unless they have the right connections.

MPs also contribute to this trend, Awad said, noting that most voters ask deputies to help secure them jobs in return for electing them.

Results of the Yale survey were included in a World Bank report launched last Thursday, which did not elaborate on the survey mechanism and the study sample.

The World Bank’s “Trust, Voice and Incentives: Learning from Local Success Stories in Service Delivery in the Middle East and North Africa” report criticises the lack of accountability in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), noting that it has led to a problem more prevalent there than in other regions.

Political connections, not performance are the vital ingredients for both jobs and career advancement in MENA countries, according to a World Bank statement on the report.

Moreover, on average, a large share of MENA citizens indicate in surveys that they are not satisfied with education and health services, the report said.

Citing the 2013 Gallup World Poll, which covers citizens and Arab-speaking residents across these countries, the World Bank report said on average, nearly 40 per cent of respondents are dissatisfied with the education services in their country and 45 per cent are dissatisfied with the availability of quality healthcare.

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