Torit State governor Tobiolo Alberio Oromo has swapped minister of health with his advisor on gender and child welfare.
In a gubernatorial decree on Tuesday, Governor Oromo exchanged Health Minister Clement Laku Chichim with the state advisor on gender, Betty Ayaa.
Laku, who was agriculture minister, was in June impeached by state MPs after timber worth over $100,000 mysteriously vanished. In August, Governor Oromo reappointed him to be the health minister, while the MPs were on recess.
The press secretary in the governor’s office, John Godfrey Oringa said Tuesday’s decree was issued in accordance with Article 165 (2) of the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan.
He claimed that the change was done in the interest of the citizens.
For their part, several state lawmakers welcomed the governor’s decree removing the health minister, saying it was in line with the assembly’s regulations.
Peter Otim Karlo, a lawmaker representing Magwi County, said the state governor was right to remove the impeached minister.
“This man [Laku] was impeached by the state parliament. I think the governor has taken the right decision because parliamentarians were very clear that this man would have no place to present his policy statement,” Karlo stressed.