The Western Bahr el Ghazal State Parliament has ordered Raja County Commissioner to stay in Wau until the house completes its fact-finding into illegal gold mining in Boro-Madina.
Last week, the state assembly summoned state of trade and industry minister Akol Majok Rok, local government minister Ibrahim Suru Ibrahim and Raja County Commissioner Addison Arkangelo to expound on reports of illegal gold mining in Raja County.
The parliamentarian who represents the Boro-Madina constituency in Raja County in the state assembly, Khamis Dayia Omer, told Radio Tamazuj after Wednesday’s sitting that the commissioner contradicted himself when explaining the matter to legislators.
“Last week, he (Commissioner Arkangenlo) brought us gold from two companies, 6.5 grams from Kata and 9.5 grams from Wako, respectively, but today (Wednesday), he brought a large quantity, 53.5 grams of gold from the five companies, which is different from what he presented last week,” said Omer. “In his capacity, the commissioner has no power to allow companies to mine gold; it is not in his capacity and responsibility.”
The parliamentarian said that in the first presentation, Trade Minister Majok said the companies were sent to Raja to conduct an exploration assessment and where to report back to the ministry if they found gold.
“If they found gold, they were to come back with a report to the state trade ministry so that they are referred to the national ministry, and this did not happen,” Omer added. “The assembly considers this (gold) is a national resource, and the Raja County commissioner should not have been involved in forming a committee he is now heading.”
“The sitting today (Wednesday) ordered the forming of an investigative committee to go to constituency number 28 of Boro-Madina to collect information and report back in one month about the foreigners from Sudan who are mining in gold,” he added.
According to Omer, the state parliament consequently ordered the Raja County commissioner to remain in Wau for one month as the investigations happen.
Commissioner Arkangelo declined to comment on the matter when contacted.