The former information minister in South Sudan’s Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), Jay Adingora Alual, said he was fired last week over media remarks he made about the unrest in the area.
Jay told Radio Tamazuj Friday that his remarks angered the area’s Chief Administrator Lokali Amae who immediately sacked him.
“After I had a meeting with the head of my line ministry Michael Makuei, I was interviewed on SSBC in which I spoke about child abductions, cattle raids, and a need for disarmament in Greater Jonglei,” he said. “Those are obvious things. There is nothing unique but I think he (Lokali) was not happy that his tribe is mentioned as abductors.”
Jay, who hails from the Anyuak community, claimed his sacking could have also been triggered by inter-communal tensions in GPAA.
“After I went to the office the following day the chief administrator summoned me and threatened me that it was not my work to speak about the security situation,” he stressed. But I tried to explain to him that it was my work as a government spokesperson. But he could not listen and again for six months now there are tensions between the Anyuak and the Murle communities maybe my sacking is linked to it.”
For his part, Chief Administrator Amae said he sacked his information minister because he was not delivering on his works.
“Yes, I fired the former information minister and it was administrative. Also, the former minister overstays in Juba. For me, I don’t have problems with the Anyuaks demanding a separate administration. They should go to the president and it would be up to the president if he wants to split GPAA into 10 states,” he said.
Jay was appointed information minister in early August 2021. Peter Ochudo has been named as his successor.