The governor of Eastern Equatoria State Louis Lobong Lojore Tuesday in a gubernatorial order suspended the state health minister Lodae Pasqual Loyakori and his director general, Dr. Etin Concord.
The order seen by Radio Tamazuj reads, “Gubernatorial executive order No. 5/2023 for the suspension of the state minister of health and the director general in the state ministry of health in Eastern Equatoria state 2023 AD. The executive order shall be cited as the gubernatorial executive order No. 2/2023 with effect from 28th March 2023.”
In the same breath, Governor Lobong issued another order appointing the acting director general Mr. Clementina Lubuya to temporarily head the ministry.
The decree did not mention the reasons for the suspension.
“These are normal procedures in the government of course,” the press secretary in the office of the governor, Aliandro Lotok told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday.
In response, the suspended director-general Dr. Concord confirmed the suspension and said the decision was made after investigations revealed that he and the minister could not work well together.
“We sat twice with the committee headed by the state governor and the last one was yesterday and we resolved that we are going to be suspended. We knew it,” he explained. “According to the committee, the DG and the minister do not cooperate and cannot work together as each person works individually.”
The former health minister Pasqual when reached to comment said he was busy.