Gyewali sacked to pick Govinda Raj Pokharel as NRA CEO
KATHMANDU: The government on Wednesday removed Sushil Gyewali from the position of Chief Executive Officer of the National Reconstruction Authority, and picked Govinda Raj Pokharel for the top position.
A Cabinet meeting held this morning made a decision to this effect concluding that Gyewali's recent clarification to the government was not satisfactory, informed the Minister for Information and Communications Surendra Karki after the meeting.
When the NRA was formed for the first time to lead the post-earthquake reconstruction works, the then Sushil Koirala-led government had appointed Pokharel, the then Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission, for the position.
Pokharel, however, was relieved of the position before the body came into operation and was replaced by Gyawali.
The government in December last week had initiated the process to remove Gyewali from the powerful position citing his performance was not satisfactory.
Speculations, however, are rife that the decision was politically influenced as Gyewali is considered close to the main opposition CPN-UML.
Pokharel is close to the ruling Nepali Congress. He had contested for the party's central membership in the NC 13th national general convention last year.
The government on January 5 had asked Gyewali to furnish a second clarification, asking him why he should not be removed from his post.
In December, he was charged with failing to properly coordinate with relevant stakeholders, not doing enough for the rehabilitation of the displaced quake survivors and for being unable to disburse house reconstruction grants to the beneficiaries.
In response, he had claimed that there was not any ground behind the charge that his performance was inefficient.
The NRA CEO had furnished a defiant clarification in response to the second call on Sunday, claiming that he was doing his job properly.
Gyewali was appointed by the erstwhile KP Sharma Oli-led coalition government in December 2015.
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