The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State has suspended the membership of its nominated state minister of agriculture and forestry, Anei Deng Akok after the outfit faulted him for detrimental activities.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, the SPLM-IO’s secretary general in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Garang Wol Kon, said the agriculture minister was suspended because of a letter he wrote some NGOs calling for the termination from their jobs of the newly elected Aweil youth leaders.
According to Wol, Minister Deng was supporting the state government which tried to delegitimize the newly elected youth leadership after its preferred candidates lost the elections.
“The suspension is true because the minister wrote a certain document to some NGOs saying that some youth who are employed by the humanitarian organizations were involved in politics and the recent elections of the Aweil Youth Union,” he charged. “We looked into it because the youth asked us (SPML-IO) why the minister wrote such a letter and we read the document and we have seen that it was not right.”
Wol said the agriculture minister ordered his director general to write to NGOs to terminate the employment of the elected youth leaders. He said the SPLM-IO is working hard to protect independent and non-partisan associations such as the youth union and women’s association among others.
“We told him (minister) to suspend his director general in the agriculture ministry if the latter wrote the letter without his consent but he insisted and when we called the director general, he told us that he was directed by the minister,” he explained. “As a party, we said we cannot do that because a youth union is a nonpolitical body and the minister was trying to stand with the government because its interest was not met.”
However, Minister Anei Deng Akok has said he would not comment on the matter.
“I do not have any comment now or even at another time,” he vowed. “This is my first and final statement.”
On his part, the state’s information, William Anyuon Kuol, said the government is aware of the suspension of Minister Deng from the SPLM-IO but added that it is unlawful and non-procedural.
“I am aware and the position of the government of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State is that the parties to the peace agreement do not have the right to suspend a state minister directly,” he explained. “It is the role of the parties to make a recommendation to the leadership at the higher level and it is the one to decide any action.”
Information Minister Anyuon said the agriculture minister is going about his normal duties.