Information Minister Michael Makuei (center), Deputy Minister David Yau Yau (left) and NCA director Napoleon Adok. (Photo: Ministry of ICT).

Hon Yau Yau, a former deputy minister of defense and current member of the SPLM National Liberation Council, was appointed to the information ministry by President Salva Kiir on February 13. He has replaced Jacob Maiju Korok.

On Thursday, Minister Michael Makuei took his deputy on a tour of the national broadcaster SSBC, National Communication Authority (NCA) headquarters, Media Authority and Universal Service and Access Funds.

A statement from the ministry said the officials also inspected the ongoing construction work of the data center in Gumbo.

“The Deputy Minister took the opportunity to encourages the staffs in Ministry and all the Parastatals to embrace teamwork to enable the Ministry achieve its mission,” said the statement.

On his part, the Director General of National Communication Authority, Napoleon Adok, briefed the deputy minister of the institution’s plan to “clean and combat all social media accounts carrying hate speech inciting the nations.”

“This according to Napoleon will prevent further shutting down of social media by the government in situations that requires complete closure.”

The statement added that Hon. Yau Yau received a detailed briefing from the Media Authority on how media is being regulated and procedures necessary to ensure effective and responsible journalism.

On January 23, the National Communication Authority (NCA) ordered telecom companies and internet service providers to shutdown social media sites including Facebook and Tiktok over alleged misuse of the online space.

NCA said the directive was prompted by the circulation of violent contents and inciting sentiments as a result of the killing incidents in Sudan’s Wad Madani.

The order sparked concerns among civil society, rights groups and the legislature, who said it was unjustifiable and posed significant harm to citizens’ freedom of expression.

When summoned to answer queries on the social media shutdown, NCA Director General Adok said the incident was prompted by lack of content moderation mechanisms in the country.

He explained that if such mechanisms existed, it would have allowed NCA to identify and address specific accounts circulating content deemed unacceptable to national culture and averted the ban.