The Director General of Physical Infrastructure in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State has been suspended by the minister.

Marko Aguer Doordit stands accused of grabbing 80 plots of land.

Eye Radio’s Ayuen Panchol speaks to reporter Joseph Ngor of partner Community Radio Network FM, Nhomlau FM in Malualkon.

Ayuen: Why is the suspension of the Director General an issue in your state?

Joseph: The land is the biggest source of conflict in the state. The residents of Maper in Aweil town marched to the Assembly demonstrating against land grabbing back in April. If Marko Aguer Doordit is found to have grabbed 80 land plots, he will be held accountable. It could reduce some land issues in the community.

The impact right now is that some areas are not being surveyed because he was in charge of that project. Residents are upset.

Ayuen: What does Aguer say about the land-grabbing accusations?

Joseph: He denies them and he says he has the documentation. Here’s Aguer’s response.

Aguer: “I kept these 80 plots of land with the director of Land and Survey in case to provide it our military men at the borders. Why I kept them? – I was requesting 180 plots but I am sorry to meet with 80. But I kept that 80 for our military men at the various borders of South Sudan.”

Ayuen: How does the minister of physical infrastructure Angui Diing support his claims?

Joseph: He says that the director does not have the evidence of land being grabbed, but that he does. Angui would not specifically comment on any of the charges against Aguer because the investigating committee is in process. They should start tomorrow. They will give the report after three months to the minister. Then he will go to the council of ministers with the report and decide to suspend him or charge him for his mistakes.

Ayuen: Does the minister have the power to suspend the Director General?

Joseph: I do not think so because the governor says all the powers to appoint and remove director generals are with him not the ministers. But Angui Diing is saying that Aguer is just an acting director, so can remove him. Aguer has been acting director for two years.

Land is one of the major causes of conflict in South Sudan in general.