Members of the Jonglei state parliament on Tuesday voted to impeach the state minister of labor for alleged incompetence.

The move taken by the parliament comes barely two weeks after labor minister Thon Simon suspended salaries for 42 civil servants at the state parliament over suspected ghost names.

Speaking to reporters in the town of Bor on Wednesday, Ellen Akech, the chairperson of the state parliamentary committee for information said they voted unanimously to impeach the minister.

“Since the minister failed to give viable reasons so as to why he suspended the salaries for some state employees, we unanimously voted for his removal. Because we cannot allow anybody incapable to carry out his duty and not respecting the constitution,” she said.

For his part, Thon Simon, the state minister of labor and public service dismissed the claim, saying he will respond officially after receiving an official notification about his impeachment.