Lawmakers adjourn sitting over lack of proper arrangements at Freedom Hall

JUBA, OCTOBER 16, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – South Sudan’s transitional parliament on Monday adjourned a sitting meant to discuss a number of regional and international conventions over lack of proper arrangements at Freedom Hall.

The parliament was to make deliberations on the Agreement on the Nile River Basic Cooperative Framework, the Convention Relating to Status of Stateless Persons of 1954, and 1961 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

South Sudan lawmakers have been transacting business at the privately-owned Freedom Hall since May 2019 when the parliamentary building near Dr. John Garang De Mabior Mausoleum was put under renovation.

Speaking to reporters at the Freedom Hall following the adjournment of the sitting, chair of parliamentary committee on information and spokesman John Agany Deng said the sitting was abruptly adjourned over unforeseen circumstances.

“Due to some circumstances that we can’t this time control, the assembly adjourned the sitting to tomorrow morning at 10 AM. The reason for adjourning the sitting was because the assembly is not ready for the business, I think this place is a multipurpose place and it has been used during the weekend,” Agany said.

The member of parliament said conduct of parliamentary businesses at the Freedom Hall has had great impact on the work of parliament but revealed that the ongoing renovation of the parliamentary building is expected to be completed in the next few months.

“Of course, it is a big loss, but we need to endure it because it is something that we can’t control and these are issues we have been talking about like the renovation which is going on in the assembly has really affected our activities including the place of sitting,” he said.

“Our preliminary information is that 95% is already complete in renovation and I hope maybe in the few coming months we will have a place to stay, so all these will be avoided, and we will have no reason to adjourn sitting,” he added.

The rehabilitation work began in 2019 but stalled over contractual disagreements. The contractor abandoned the project after the administration of then-speaker Anthony Lino reportedly failed to pay the construction company.

Weeks later, a member of parliament called for an audit of the project to query the alleged mismanagement of funds after the then-speaker stepped down. Makana resigned on December 8, 2019, amidst allegations of misappropriation of funds.

A.F.K. Concept Ltd — a Lebanese company — started the renovation process and had promised to complete the work in only a few months, but due to failure of the government to live up to its obligations of paying the contractor, the work has been slow.