Minister of Information Michael Makuei Lueth - Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio

The Minister of Information said that the existing commissions will not be reconstituted as stipulated in the revitalized peace agreement without the amendment of their relevant laws.

According to the revitalized peace agreement, various commissions and institutions shall be restructured and reconstituted at the national level.

These include the Anti-Corruption Commission, Public Grievances Chamber, Fiscal, Financial Allocation and Monitoring Commission, National Audit Chamber, Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, Peace Commission, National Bureau of Statistics, Human Rights Commission, Judicial Service Commission, Civil Service Commission, Land Commission, Electricity Corporation.

Others are the Refugees Commission, South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation, National Petroleum and Gas Commission, National Bureau of Standards, Urban Water Corporation, Roads Authority, Commission for War-Wounded, Widows, and Orphans; and DDR Commission.

However, the commissions and institutions have not been restructured as provided for in the 2018 deal.

Speaking to reporters at the cabinet meeting in Juba on Friday, Makuei said the government will first amend the laws before restructuring and reconstituting the institutions.

“The anti-corruption commission, the staff of course were not appointed on the representation of the parties, if it is to be appointed by the representation of parties, then out of this board and management, the ITGoNU will have 55 percent, the SPLM-IO will have 27 percent, SSOA will have 10 percent, and OPP will have 8 percent.”

“When those institutions were established, there was nothing as such, but with the coming of the agreement, we have to allocate them in accordance with these percentages, and we cannot just allocate them without amending the law.”

“So, these laws which are existing, or these commissions which are established by law, we have to amend these laws so that we give the ratios accordingly.”

The revitalized peace agreement also calls for the establishment of new commissions.

These according to Makuei will also require the government to enact its laws.

“For those commissions which were established by the agreement, we have to enact their laws so that they are established in accordance with the provisions of those laws.”

However, the National Constitution Amendment Committee, a body responsible for the amendment of various national laws including the commissions acts, has been on strike over salary arrears.