5 ministers summoned by parliament over soaring hunger, economic crisis

JUBA – South Sudan’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) on Wednesday afternoon summoned five key ministers to account for the country’s deepening economic crisis and soaring hunger levels.

The ministers, including those responsible for finance, petroleum, agriculture, trade, and mining, are expected to appear before the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) on Aug. 14.

Lawmakers are demanding answers on how the government plans to address the deteriorating humanitarian situation, exacerbated by an influx of over 720,000 refugees and returnees from neighboring Sudan.

The country is already grappling with alarming levels of hunger and malnutrition, which are expected to intensify during the lean season as food stocks dwindle and prices skyrocket.

First Deputy Speaker Oyet Nathaniel Pierino told the assembly that the ministers must provide a comprehensive plan to alleviate the economic crisis, including details on resource management and exploration.

“The ministry of mining, of course, will give accounts of what they are doing around the country, whether their mining activity is going on and what we get from there, whether they also reach the coffers of the government,” Pierino said.

“The minister of finance and planning, minister of petroleum, minister of mining, trade and industry, and Agriculture are expected to provide a comprehensive bailout plan to alleviate the dire economic crisis in the country,” he added.

The United Nations has warned that without a significant increase in aid, more than half of South Sudan’s population, or 7 million people, could face hunger by the end of the year.

The crisis is particularly acute for children, with 1.65 million under the age of five suffering from severe malnutrition.

The ministers summoned by the TNLA are under pressure to provide credible solutions to the multifaceted crisis affecting millions of South Sudanese.