Dhieu Mathok, the Minister of Investment - Courtesy

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