Category: Economy

Economy

NBS opts to destroy impounded toxic grains in Nimule

The National Bureau of Standards is going to destroy the impounded food items from neighboring Uganda that tested positive for high aflatoxin at the border town of Nimule, Mary Gordon Murotat, the institution’s Executive Chief has said.

“Between the month of April and May, we tested 384 trucks, and out of those trucks 321 passed and 63 failed, so 63 are going for destruction,” she said.

Two weeks ago, South Sudan officials at the Nimule border point confiscated at least 120 tons of food items deemed unsuitable for human consumption.

Samples from the shipment were confirmed with high aflatoxin after the grains were subjected to several laboratory tests by the National Bureau of Standards.

“In those trucks that we have mentioned that have Maize, Sorghum, or whatever grains that have been tested and failed have to be destroyed,” she stressed, adding that “We detained the trucks for a very good reason because of the level of aflatoxin, especially B1 which is very very dangerous and it causes cancer if it accumulates in your body.

Gordon added that the truck drivers will be released, and the poisonous grain dumped according to certain procedures and standards to protect the environment.

“The government has decided to dump and destroy them accordingly,  but the procedures for the dumping will be followed according to standards,” while saying that “the truck drivers will be released. ”

In February this year, Ugandan food scientists found that maize, sorghum, and groundnuts produced locally pose a cancer risk.

The research by scientists at the National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro) indicated that Ugandan grain contains 10 times or higher concentrations of aflatoxin than the safety threshold recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

National MPs interrogate Minister Mijok over stalled road works

The national legislature has questioned Roads Minister Mijok Mijak over the alleged slow progress in the development of roads infrastructure in the country despite the allocation of tens of thousands of barrels of oil proceeds to the ministry.

The lawmakers needed to know how far the road constructions have gone since the daily allocation of oil proceeds for the infrastructure development was initiated four years ago.

In 2019, the government signed a deal with Chinese construction companies to pump 30,000 barrels of crude oil per day, in exchange for infrastructure development.

The deal covered the ongoing construction of the Juba-Terekeka-Rumbek road, Juba-Bor road, and other pending road projects.

Peter Lomude, one of the MPs inquired why certain roads such as that of the Juba-Torit road, and others in parts of the country have stalled or not progressed at the same speed as the Juba-Bor highway.

“The road from Juba to Bor, we are aware is progressing, but I want to ask the Minister of Roads and Bridges, why the other roads, Juba-Bahr El Ghazal, Juba-Mundri-Yambio not progressing.,

“Juba-Yei-Kaya, Juba-Torit to the border of Kenya, why is the construction not going within these roads,” he asked

In response, Minister Mijok Mijak said flooding at the oil fields affected production and the Ministry’s budget.

He also said there were challenges in the budget expenditure without giving further details.

“It is right, this is my budget, but in the expenditure of the budget, we have a few challenges and as we might have seen the challenges flooding in the oil field, definitely affected the production,” he said

Meanwhile, Lawmaker Kuol Deng raised concern over the alleged exclusion of the Ministry’s technical staff from the road contract deals.

“Honorable Minister, I have learned that their contracts are being signed by the ministry, and the technical staff in the ministry are not considered, what is the use of these technical staff,” he asked

In his response, Mijok refutes the allegations saying, the ministry engages South Sudanese technocrats in the ongoing projects across the country.

“I don’t agree with that, maybe as an MP, you might have done your assignment, but they are the ones who have prepared the technical costing beginning with assessment and then the legal advisor finalizes the contracts, adding that “all these works being done in the country are done by South Sudanese young Engineers”.

Last year, the UN Panel of Experts on South Sudan said the government should manage the oil-for-roads program through the ordinary budget process to secure greater transparency in the public funds.

It said, the government, during its 2021/2022 financial year, received an excess of 535 million dollars in oil revenues period, but none of the revenues reached the treasury’s accounts from which salaries and ministerial budgets are paid.

Mayor Allah-Jabu to review long-term land lease deals

The Mayor of Juba City is considering regulating and reviewing land leases and rentals to investors to help landlords  meet the current market value.

According to Michael Lado Allah, the South Sudanese had leased land to foreign businessmen for many years at little costs.

He said some of the lands were leased for between 30 and 50 years since 2005 or 2011 without renewal or increment in rental values.

This, he says, has hampered the citizens and institution.

In an article posted on his Facebook page, Mayor Allah Jabu said: “Since 2005, till 2011 and 2023, rent leased for 30 to 50 years, was only 3,000 Sudanese Dinar [SDG] or 500 USD without renewal and increase of some percentages.”

Allah Jabu says he has realized the exploitation of the ignorance of the population who have been looted in the name of investment.

“I realized the exploitation of our innocent and ignorant population who have been looted of their own in the name of Investment,” he said.

He said soon the authorities would come up with a by-law to enforce the renewal of the agreements based on the current value of lands.

MPs grill Minister Dhieu over inadequate support for local investors

The Minister of Investment has blamed the inadequate empowerment of local investors in the country on the multiple-issuance of business licenses and control by powerful elites and institutions.

Yesterday, members of parliament questioned the Minister of Investment Dhieu Mathok over the dominance in the market by foreign nationals.

This was after the August House said it learned with great concern that small-scale businesses were being run by foreign entrepreneurs in violation of the Invest Promotion Act that mandates the ministry to promote local businesses.

The legislature wanted an explanation as to what the Ministries of Investment and Trade have done to encourage the development of domestic investors in the County.

In Tuesday’s seating, it also sought to know mechanisms the Ministries have put in place to curb the worsening dollar-to-pound inflation rate.

Responding to the questions, the Investment Ministry, Dhieu Mathok started by citing an article in the constitution.

Before finishing citing the article, angry MP, Akuc Majir rose and interrupted the Minister saying: “We are not here to be lectured, we are here to get answers written in a professional manner.

The investment Minister responded, saying: “Note  well taken, I can do that.”

Another MP, Samuel Loti was not satisfied with the Minister’s answer either.

He specifically asked why the Ministry was not giving directives to the states and local governments to stop the issuance of trade licenses to foreigners.

“The competence of the businesses that are mentioned in this schedule are being licensed by the states and local government and this law is made at the national,

“Why is it so hard for the national ministers to give directives to the states and local government to stop issuing trade licenses and start giving priorities to South Sudanese, he asked.

Legislator Loti said, “Enough is enough” because according to her Sudanese women selling bananas, if the ministry gave them an opportunity at the customs market they would succeed.

But Minister Dhieu defended himself saying many government licensing institutions have hindered the Ministry’s efforts to empower local investors.

“We don’t have guidance on how we should issue licenses, if I tell you that for someone to come and do business in South Sudan, he has to register with nineteen institutions,  I can provide their lists,” he said.

For her part, lawmaker Dusman Joyce James inquired why the minister did not present the matter of 19 licensing institutions to the cabinet to provide solutions.

“How can the country have nineteen different licensing companies to license all the investors yet you are the minister, and you are not reporting it to the council of ministers to be solved.”

According to Minister Mathok, the 19 licensing institutions have been mandated by laws.

He, however, called on the parliament to intervene and enact laws to curb what he terms as contradictions of the laws.

“I believe that the August House has a responsibility also to intervene in enacting laws that are contradictory to each other,” he appealed.

Meanwhile, MP Deng Aleu wonders how foreign investors find easy access to the Central Bank while the locals do not.

But the Minister’s response was that  “You can see many business banking mostly are foreigners and they are the ones giving credit and loans to the individuals according to their own terms and the guarantees.

Bol Joseph, one of the MPs criticized the minister’s responses and insisted to know what the Minister is doing to empower the locals.

“There was a lot of meandering around and not getting to the point, I think the minister was writing another Ph.D,

‘You are telling us about international trade fairs and international investment conferences, this is too irrelevant and you are straying from the point, .he said

Reacting to the concern, Minister Mathok explained why he thinks the locals are not having access to loans to do business.

According to him cartels by powerful government individuals is the issue.

“The reasons are that the South Sudanese are not accessing the loans from the banks.

“There is also a big problem, that is the influence of some powerful government individuals that undermine the implementation of the law, Dhieu responded.

South Sudanese especially youth have often complained of the lack of government support to enable them to do business.

Some have blamed the lack of employment on limited opportunities and economic activities in the country

Govt wires $4M to IGAD in outstanding membership arrears

South Sudan’s government has paid four-million US dollars to the regional body, IGAD as part of outstanding arrears, for the first time since the country joined the bloc, according the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Deng Dau Deng.

This comes one and a half years after the regional bloc suspended South Sudan membership over non-payment of its annual subscription fees.

South Sudan joined IGAD four months after its proclaimed independence from Sudan in July 2011.

As part of membership contributions, the young nation is obliged to annually pay its membership fees.

Speaking upon his return this morning from attending an international conference in Oslo, Norway Minister Deng Dau say, the government remitted the money to IGAD on Wednesday.

“I have talked to the executive secretary of IGAD, Dr. Workneh and they have confirmed that they have received this money,” said Dau.

The diplomate says the payment is part of the government efforts to cleanse the image of the country abroad.

“We are talking about creating image of South Sudan, we have been called names,

“But I really want to thank His Excellency the President for this particular move of clearing this payment which is fifty percent of the outstanding contribution and fees from IGAD,” he added.

Deng Dau went on to say the unity government is working on clearing the arrears of other regional and international bodies.

“We will continue to endeavor getting money for those international organizations, regional organizations,

“We have part of the money that we have not paid to Africa Union, to SGLR, Great Lakes and to East Africa we have been paying, but we want to continue to pay this.”

He concluded saying: “I’m so grateful that the IGAD we have not paid before, so this is a good news on that line.”

 

 

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