Salva Chol Ayat, acting governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state in South Sudan has issued an order appointing a new secretary general, Abraham Wol Kom.

The previous government secretary-general Kiir Yor Lua was suspended on the allegation of lack of respect and cooperation in the work.

The change has received mixed reactions, with the critics of the state administration arguing that the acting governor has no constitutional power to remove and make appointments.

Speaking today, former Aweil West County Commissioner Santo Garang argued that the acting governor has no constitutional powers to make any changes because has not been mandated either by people in the state or by the president of the country.

“People are surprised where the acting [governor] gets the powers to dismiss people who were appointed by someone with constitutional. He was not elected so that he could say he was given the mandate by the people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal and he was appointed by the president so that he could say he was acting in accordance with the presidential order.”

“He is acting outside the law, which is unacceptable,” he said.    

Garang said the main task of the acting governor given to him by the president was to bring together and reconcile the people in the state after the removal of the former caretaker governor.