The Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly (RTNLA) announced on Tuesday that it would adjourn the questioning session for ministers and the governor of Central Equatoria State, who were summoned to address the issue of street children in the capital, Juba.
The assembly plans to reschedule the session for a later date.
Earlier this month, the TNLA had summoned six ministers, including those responsible for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Gender, Child and Social Welfare, Interior, General Education and Instruction, and Humanitarian Affairs, along with the governor of Central Equatoria State.
However, on Tuesday, only three of the summoned ministers were present. These included Ruben Madol, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs; Ayaa Benjamin Warrile, the Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare; and the acting Interior Minister Peter Puok Koang.
Jemma Nunu Kumba, the Speaker of the RTNLA, explained that she had received official communication from the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony, stating that they were currently on official missions outside Juba.
“The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs wrote officially informing the TNLA that he was out on an official mission in the Middle East. The Minister of General Education will not be here,” she said. “There is a notice, and also the Governor of Central Equatoria State is out of Juba and he has also informed the Speaker.”
The legislators decided to postpone this particular agenda item until the governor and the two absent ministers return.
Ambrose Lomin, the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Higher Education, Science, and Technology in the parliament, suggested that it would be more appropriate to adjourn the questioning session until Governor Adil is present. He emphasized that the Central Equatoria governor should be the first to explain why the issue of street children has not been addressed.
“Our ministers here are hosted by the governor of Central Equatoria State. With this, we need the governor to address the August House before the ministers,” he said. “So, I propose that we adjourn the sitting until the governor is here.”
Meanwhile, Joy Kwaje Eluzai, an MP from Central Equatoria State, suggested that if governors were to be summoned, it should apply to all ten states. She emphasized that the problem of street children in Juba is not unique to Central Equatoria.
“My opinion is that we should postpone this particular item until we can hear from the rest of the ministers, particularly the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the Minister of Education. The children on the streets are from all over South Sudanese,” she said. “If we are to invite governors, it should be the governors of all ten states. These are not just children of Central Equatoria.”
Speaker Kumba said the ministers and the governor would be summoned on a day to be communicated in the future.