Opinion | South Sudan minister of finance should revoke unconstitutional dismissal of employees

By Damosip Deng

OPINION – The national ministry of finance and economic planning is a non political institution which prohibit the involvement of either political interest groups, outsiders and community elites in its affairs. The mandatory duties of the minister of finance in South Sudan are well-defined and these duties neither allow the minister of finance and economic planning to associate himself with any interest groups outside the ministry.

Coming to the point. When president decided to replace the former minister of finance and economic planning Hon  Salvatore Garang with Hon. Athian Ding Athian, the entire citizens received the changes with joy and happiness. The suffering citizens were expecting Hon. Athian Ding Athian to prioritize the reform of the economic sector as well as combating the unfolding economic crisis in the country. However, the interest and plan of the newly appointed minister of finance and economic planning were contrary to the expectations of the citizens.

Before the swearing-in of the newly appointed minister of finance and economic planning, a certain political interest group from the defunct Gogrial State took advantage of his appointment and claim that they convinced the president to appoint him. The above interest group led by Gen. Lual Maroldit influenced the minister to implement their interest and employ those they would recommend. The leader of the interest group Gen. Lual Maroldit threatens the minister with dismissal in case of failure to implement his interest. He presented the list of those to be employed by the minister in the office. The minister of finance Hon. Athian Ding Athian had no choice but to implement the order of the powerful general. Hon. Athian Ding Athian appointed Gen. Lual Maroldit’s son in law as the office manager. The minister also appoint two qualified intellectuals namely Cde Majak Achuoth Malek And Ms Akuiendik Abiem as his Private Secretary and chief Protocol respectively.

The last two educated youths appointed in the positions of Private Secretary and Chief Protocol were not in the list of those recommended by Gen Lual Maroldit. Their appointment angered the powerful general because of the facts that they are not related to him ( general). Another undeniable reason behind the dismissal of the Chief for Protocol Akuiending Abiem is the fact that Akuiending Abiem refused to marry General lual Maroldit and that is why Gen. Lual ordered the minister of finance and economic planning to relieve her from the position of Chief for Protocol.

The leader of the interest group Gen. Lual Maroldit openly threatened the minister to either dismiss the private secretary and Chief Protocol or face unconditional relieve by the President of the Republic. He influenced the minister of finance and economic planning to concoct the false charges against the Private Secretary Cde Majak Achuoth Malek and the Chief for Protocol M.s Akuiendik Abiem. In compliance to the order from the  General Lual Maroldit,, the minister of finance and economic planning Hon. Athian Ding Athian falsified the fake corruption charges against his God fearing  Private Secretary Cde Majak Achuoth and the Chief for Protocol M.S Akuiending Abiem in less then two weeks in the office.

Hon. Athian Ding Athian intentionally concocted the false corruption charges against his Private Secretary and Chief for Protocol in order to use such charges as an excuse for dismissing them. The malicious charges levelled by the minister against Cde Majak Achuoth Malek and Ms Akuiendik Abiem was the imaginary disappearance of some cash from the office.

Mr. Minister created the charges with an intention of pleasing his self imposed gold father Gen. Lual Maroldit, pave ways for the replacement of the victims with the recommended relatives of Gen. Lual Maroldit and to also tarnish the good image of the former private secretary Cde Majak Achuoth Malek and Chief for Protocol Ms Akuiending Abiem. Hon. Athian Ding Athian unconstitutionally dismissed the private secretary and chief for protocol and replace them with those recommended by the leader of the interest group Gen. Lual Maroldit.

In conclusion, I am requesting the minister of finance and economic planning Hon. Athian Ding Athian to rescind the unconstitutional and political motivated dismissal of Cde Majak Achuoth and Akuiending Abiem and reinstate them to their previous positions. I urge Hon. Athian Ding Athian to work for the interest of the general public and not to work for the interest of certain group. The ministry of finance is the public institution and not a private institution. He should do what is required by the suffering citizens and not what is required by the interest groups.

The author is an activist and he can be reached via damosipdeng@gmail.com.

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