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Thirty-two hotel and apartment operators are accusing the Ministry of Finance of deliberately obstructing payment of over $27 million under a settlement agreement reached with the government over outstanding accommodation bills incurred by the National Transitional Committee.

Through their lawyer, Advocate Wani Santino Jada, the hotel operators allege that the Ministry has failed to implement the agreement despite directives from senior government officials.

Jada says the settlement was signed on 24 July 2025 to resolve claims arising from accommodation services provided during the implementation of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement.

“The hotel operators made economic concessions to facilitate this settlement. We accepted a negotiated amount despite the country’s fiscal challenges, but the agreement has not been implemented,” Jada said.

The settlement agreement was signed between the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, representing the National Transitional Committee and the Presidency, and World Focus International Hotel and 31 other hotels and apartments.

A copy of the agreement seen by Eye Radio shows that it was signed by Amb. Sebit Bullen Kamonde, former Chief Administrator in the Office of the President, on behalf of the government, and Tesfay Abraham, Chief Executive Officer of Radas Hotel, representing the hotel operators.

The document also bears the signature of the First Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Arop Noel Deng, who signed as guarantor.

Jada alleges that the Ministry of Finance has delayed releasing payments despite instructions from the Office of the President.

“This is not an administrative delay. We believe the Ministry has failed to act on an agreement that was signed by the relevant government institutions,” he said.

The lawyer says the hotel operators are seeking implementation of the settlement agreement rather than pursuing further legal action.

The Ministry of Finance has not publicly responded to the allegations.

Eye Radio’s efforts to reached out to the Ministry and other relevant government institutions for comment were not successful.