Western Bahr el-Ghazal State Assembly has called for the immediate suspension of the ongoing construction at the National Railway station (Sikka Hadid) premises.
The demand follows a parliamentary assessment at the station on Friday.
The State ministers for Housing and Public Utilities and Roads and Bridges last week declined to honor summons, prompting the legislatures to form a committee that visited the station.
The committee’s specific mandate is to halt the demarcation and allocation of the Sikka Hadid area to private individuals.
The Physical Infrastructure and National Resources Committee Chairperson, Buola Penyi Nyiadhe, confirmed the construction.
Nyiadhe reported that the railway tracks had been removed and the area was being occupied for construction purposes. He condemned the actions and labeled those responsible as “enemies of the nation”.
Nyiadhe further emphasized that the railway should not be tampered with, and asserted the need for a parliamentary intervention. He underscored the importance of preserving public assets.
“We were assigned by the parliament to visit and assess the situation at the Railway (Sikka Hadid), which has been reported to be demarcated to individuals, either lawfully or unlawfully. What we have witnessed is that construction has begun, and the area has been occupied, with even the railway tracks removed,” said Nyiadhe.
“No one should tamper with this place, as it is public property. Those involved are, in my view, enemies of the nation. As parliamentarians, we cannot remain silent about this,” he added.
Another MP, Natalina Idris Jano, proposed that the area should be designated for public facilities such as hospitals and schools.
Jano criticized the lack of consultation with the parliament regarding the future use of the site.
She argued that if the railway was deemed obsolete, parliament should have been consulted to repurpose the land for community benefits, addressing the shortage of advanced medical and educational facilities in the region.
Jano warned that if parliament and the State Government failed to act, other public properties, including the council of ministers and the state legislative assembly premises could be misappropriated for individual use.
James Giir Wol urged the public to remain calm while parliament addressed the issue.
He assured the public that the matter was being handled legally and that a minister would soon provide clarity on the situation.