Jonglei State Governor Mahjoub Biel Turuk has ordered a thorough audit of the state’s financial and institutional activities, as part of his commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability.
The decision, outlined in a letter dated January 9, targets between 2022 and 2024.
The audit will focus on several key areas, including the use of national government grants, Personal Income Tax (PIT) collections, domestic taxes, and state-owned assets, such as vehicles.
Turuk highlighted that Jonglei has been receiving a monthly allocation of US$190,000 from PIT, a figure disputed by Deputy Governor Atong Kuol Manyang.
The governor criticized the previous administration under Governor Denay Jock Chagor, for failing to present an official state budget over four years.
Turuk said Chagor’s failure had left the state without the proper administrative oversight, affecting its development and resource management.
“There was a serious vacuum in Jonglei State,” he said.
“The former governor was based in Juba at the Crown Hotel and only visited occasionally. There were no security meetings, no Council of Ministers meetings. If you are not meeting, how will you prepare a budget? There was no administration—the governor did not even go to the office for much of the previous four years,” he said.
Peter Ajak Ayom from Bor welcomed the audit, expressing that it was long overdue.
Ayom emphasized the need for greater transparency, citing how mismanagement of resources had hindered essential services like healthcare and infrastructure development.
“The PIT, along with other taxes, could help the state move forward in terms of development. But we haven’t seen that,” Ayom noted.
“We expected the government to open feeder roads and bring more medicines to the hospitals. The government should be ready to deliver services, and we understand that the funds collected could have done much more for the people of Jonglei State,” he said.
The chairperson of the Jonglei State Anti-Corruption Commission, Jacob Loy, also praised the audit, saying that his agency was powerless during the previous administration but now sees a renewed opportunity to investigate corruption.
“This is a good time to investigate cases of corruption. From 2021 to 2024, we never investigated any cases—anti-corruption efforts were silenced. We had no powers,” Loy explained.
Efforts to reach Chagor for comment were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or messages.
The comprehensive audit is expected to begin in the coming weeks, and Turuk has promised to make the findings public.