The Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) on Tuesday resolved to summon the Government Economic Cluster which is chaired by Vice President James Wani Igga and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Albino Akol Atak over looming hunger in the country.

The summons came after Stephen Bol, a SPLM-IO Member of Parliament representing Mayom County in Unity State tabled an urgent motion on looming hunger in Mayom County.

Speaking to journalists after the parliamentary sitting on Tuesday, Oliver Mori Benjamin, the chairperson of the House’s committee for information and TNLA spokesperson, said the summoned officials would explain what they are doing to address hunger in Mayom County and South Sudan as a whole.

“After extensive deliberation, the parliament decided to summon the economic cluster which has several ministries and is headed by James Wani Igga, the vice president, to appear in plenary to explain to the parliament the causes of this looming hunger in South Sudan,” he said. “Parliament also decided the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs should appear in the parliament together with the economic cluster so that the ministers concerned explain what efforts the ministry is exerting to assist in dealing with this situation of hunger in addition to refugees from Sudan and the IDPs in South Sudan.”

Mori added: “The members expressed their concern about revenues that are collected, whether it is from oil or non-oil revenue and other sources of income.”

He said the assembly also resolved to summon Eastern Equatoria State Governor Louis Lobong over illegal mining in the state.”

On his part, Stephen Bol, a SPLM-IO lawmaker representing Mayom County in Unity State in the TNLA, said civilians in his constituency survive on water lilies and wild fruits.

“Mayom town is now depopulated and people are displaced and scattered into bushes surviving on wild fruits, harvesting water lilies in the rivers and those with some fishing gears go fishing for survival,” he said.

The humanitarian situation in South Sudan has continued to deteriorate, with 56 per cent of the population likely to face acute food insecurity during the lean season between April and July 2024, according to the UN.

This year, an estimated 1.65 million children are likely to be acutely malnourished and in need of treatment. The main drivers of food insecurity remain conflict and insecurity, climate extremes – South Sudan is among the top five most climate-vulnerable countries – and the economic crisis (currency depreciation and high food prices).

Economic hardship and insecurity could worsen in South Sudan after one of its key oil pipelines to international markets, which passes through neighbouring Sudan, was damaged, according to several observers.

The incident occurred in early February in Sudan’s White Nile state, prompting the Dar Petroleum Oil Company to suspend loadings.