Wolfowitz Accused of Nepotism at World Bank

IPS news agency reports:

Wolfowitz Accused of Nepotism at World Bank

by Emad Mekay

WASHINGTON – A controversial raise for a World Bank employee who has been romantically involved with the Bank’s President Paul Wolfowitz was not the work of the Bank’s Ethics Committee, as originally alleged by Wolfowitz’s office, according to the watchdog group that leaked the information.

Members of the Ethics Committee of the Board, the relevant body that would have approved the raise, which has triggered allegations of nepotism at the Bank’s highest levels, say that they knew nothing of the salary hike, according to the Washington-based Government Accountability Project, a whistleblower protection organisation.

The new revelation appears to be at odds with the line maintained by officials in Wolfowitz’s office, who have in interviews with the Washington Post and the Financial Times, two newspapers that reported on the issue, claimed that the raise was approved by the board.

The name of the employee is Shaha Riza.

Update: here.