With two high profile officials resigning from the state cabinet in less than two weeks, Terekeka has set a new record of addressing administrative dissatisfaction and political disagreements.

Former deputy governor Clement Maring and former information minister Modi Lomindi vacated their dockets with a barrage of criticism against Governor Juma Ali.

Mr Juma’s aides have denied any wrongdoing and sought to pin fresh charges on the outgoing officials.

Mr Maring accused the governor of corruption, nepotism and administrative gaps.

He implied that the governor had been spending outside the approval of the state Council of Ministers while the state parliament has not started operating.

“Can you honestly tell me what amount of money have you brought for discussion on the table in the council of Ministers other than a project between you and the Minister of Finance?” Maring asked in his resignation notes addressed to Mr Juma.

“Where on earth is fuel of the state kept and managed in your home by your close family members? Can you tell me how many Jeri-cans of fuel have you given me for my official car, yet you accuse me of not going to office when you handcuffed people from fuel and making people beg from you like [it was] personal property?

“Why are you taking more barrels of fuel while you give me and some Ministers only two Jeri-cans of fuel? You even segregate Ministers in the cabinet – the government of Terekeka is only a Tali County entity and the masterminds are yourself, the security Advisor, the Minister of Finance, the secretary General and your children,” he added.

In this barrage of dissatisfaction, Mr Maring said the governor kept “moving with the cabinet in your pocket to and fro, between Juba and Terekeka, leaving people in suspense”.

He said this could have stemmed from a false suspicion that he was a threat to the governor in Terekeka, influencing intellectuals and community to work against the governor.

“You have also insulted me of getting mad with my studies and talking ill of your government in places of beer in Juba,” Mr Maring wrote.

“You’ve accused me of being absent from place of work for two months while you’ve not accused yourself why you were absent from your place of work in Terekeka state, the seat of your government for three months,” he added.

A week before Mr Maring resigned, former information minister Modi Lomindi quit the ministerial portfolio.

Mr Modi also painted an image of a governor who wanted to crack dissent.

“In Terekeka, he vowed to arrest and imprison anyone who goes against his wrongful doing,” Mr Modi told Eye Radio.

Another reason for his resignation was “failure to respect the diversity of the state”.

“If you only think about where you come from and this is what the governor has been doing, only expressing about Tali, Tali and then practically not knowing that Terekeka state consists of seven counties,” he said.

Mr Modi said this lack of recognition for diversity led to “less attention to other areas”.

“Now another point which is very bad is that appointment of relatives, making the government of Terekeka state a family entity, the state belonging to Tali … and for me as a member of parliament and as a journalist who believes in fact and reality I think I cannot be a part of such a government which is Corrupt.”

In response, Mr Juma Ali said he wasn’t informed of Modi’s resignation. But days later, after Mr Maring also quit, Mr Juma’s Minister of Education and acting state government spokesperson Emanuel Taban sought to address the issues raised.

“Sometimes when people do certain things, they are supposed to be corrective rather than punitive,” he told a news conference, referring to the action of Mr Maring.

“So no good faith is displayed here. Indeed some of the issues touched on difficulties that Terekeka state is facing. These are difficulties many states and in fact the Republic of South Sudan, are facing due to the factors like the war, like the economy and of course when we talk of the economy in Juba, it’s known as the dollar and fuel,” Mr Taban said.

“All these have affected the operations of the government but of course it’s our honest hope that all these will be addressed as we go on with the government of national unity. So the difficulty that the state of Terekeka is facing is not a making of Governor Juma Ali,” he said.

The resignation of Mr Modi, according to Mr Taban, could even be more dramatic.

Mr Modi is accused of “commandeering” a government car against the advice of the driver that it had not been serviced.

“The driver told him the car had no engine oil; if he wanted to use it, he should service it first,” Mr Taban narrated.

“He didn’t accept and took the keys from the driver…The car got an engine knock,” he said.

The second response to Mr Modi’s resignation was about his role as Information Minster.

Mr Taban said Mr Modi “destroyed” six program packages that were to be aired in the media.

“He is not a civil servant, but as a leader, the governor gave him the chance to explain himself,” Mr Taban narrated. “But he resigned.”

 Mr Maring’s letter to Juma Ali before quitting

On my few days here in Terekeka, I have observed that people are grumbling about the issue of Nyori and Tindilo that you’ve relocated the county of Nyori to Tindilo. I am just giving my concern as a piece of advice that it is better to allow the two counties to

I am just giving my concern as a piece of advice that it is better to allow the two counties to exist in order to avoid political complications with your own people in Nyori and Tindilo.

The implication is that, the people of Nyori would think that you’ve deprived them of their right given the fact that Nyori was approved by the President; and the people of Tindilo would also think that they’ve been deceived if they learned that the approval of Tindilo as a county comes only as a resolution from the Speaker of the council of States but not from the President.

The underline factor is to avoid generating political window of conflict between you and the community of Nyori. To me I see no any problem if both will be allowed to exist as counties.

I would also advise if you could allow the parliament to convene in order to form its structure (Leadership) so that it operate in full responsibility and to look into issues that need parliamentary decision.

This will relieve you from unnecessary blames. For example, a macro-project allocated to an investor which require

This will relieve you from unnecessary blames. For example, a macro-project allocated to an investor which require large piece of land need the decision of the parliament. The executive can only approve micro-projects (small projects) that will not raise eyebrow.

Strategically, I am suggesting, if the Directors general of each Ministry can begin making drafts of their budgets because time is drawing very close for budget preparation. Most of the Ministries have not yet established their administrative and managerial structures. This will jeopardize budget work and the problem of Terekeka State will remain as

Most of the Ministries have not yet established their administrative and managerial structures. This will jeopardize budget work and the problem of Terekeka State will remain as obstacle to its growth and development.

Some Ministers need to establish their Ministries as most of them have not fully settled in their offices. The secretary General is a top civil servant but not a Minister. The Secretary General should fully engage in day to day affairs of the secretariat to make the Secretariat fully functioning.

Some Ministers need to establish their Ministries as most of them have not fully settled in their offices. The secretary General is a top civil servant but not a Minister. The Secretary General should fully engage in day to day affairs of the secretariat to make the Secretariat fully functioning.

Some advisors need to understand that their role is advisory but not to entangle themselves in meddling people’s affairs. This should be put in place in order to avoid grumbling within government echelons. We are seriously tasked with

We are seriously tasked with responsibility of establishment, and if the foundation is laid wrongly, the result will be bad and we shall be held accountable.  We need to avoid the repercussions by doing right things.

With these few analyses, I hope some of these concerns will be accepted by your highest regards.