Press Statement From the Government of Southern Sudan

Press Statement From the Government of Southern Sudan

8th January, 2007

We take this opportunity to share with the public, media and press the general findings from the report by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning Investigation Committee as per Presidential Decree No. 112/2006 as a gesture of our commitment to ensure access to public information as a constitutional right as provided for in our Interim Constitution.

You may recall that on October 28th 2006, the President of the Government of Southern Sudan issued a decree suspending five senior officials from the Ministry of Finance & Economic Planning, following recommendations from the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning. As the suspension was in connection with allegations of misuse of public resources and abuse of public position, our President could not afford to be cavalier with justice. Accordingly, the President ordered the formation of an investigation Committee, thus offering the five officials the opportunity and the right to defend themselves. The Committee consisted of representatives of Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development, Labour, Public Service and Human Resource Development, Anti-Corruption Commission, Audit Chamber, Employees Grievance Chamber, Internal Affairs so as to ensure a credible and technically sound process.

You may also recall that our President unequivocally stated on many occasions the policy commitment of our government on zero tolerance of corruption and that he will not tolerate any manifestation of corruption and abuse of public positions against the public interest. The President takes this opportunity to reiterate the Government’s commitment to honest, transparent and accountable system in the management of public resources and our determination to take action against anybody who flouts or contravenes the law and norms of good governance.

Our anti-corruption drive does not mean that we shall arbitrarily accuse and convict people without due process of law. Our President formed the investigation committee to gather hard and compelling evidence against the five officials before any action was taken. Now that the Committee has availed its report with full account and analysis of the accusations labeled against the five officials and with specific recommendations, our President issued on 7th January 2007 a Presidential Decree No. 01/2007 which is now available with you. Besides the dismissal of four officials and exoneration of one official, the decree has directed the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development to take legal action against those persons including private companies which were implicated in the report. Aware of the growing public concerns about the major procurements and contracts entered into by our government in 2005 and 2006, and in order to ensure transparency and accountability and make our public aware of such major public decisions, our President has directed in the same decree that the Southern Sudan Audit Chamber and Southern Sudan Anti-corruption Commission in collaboration with the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development to review such public procurements and contracts.

This decree is the beginning of our fight against the misuse of public resources and positions. It has clearly spelt the fate of those who might be tempted to test our resolve to fight corruption. We take this opportunity to assure the people of Southern Sudan that whoever misappropriates or squanders public money that should otherwise be going for the education and health of our children, will be dealt with severely and without mercy. We also assure the public that their government, with their support will be able to successfully fight misuse of public resources and abuse of public positions. What we have found in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning may be happening in other ministries and public institutions and we need to set up an effective mechanism and a built-in system to detect such malpractices on time so that we can proactively take the right decision at the right time and reduce the massive waste of our public resources that we desperately need for our children and vulnerable population.

At this time when the eyes of the widows and orphans of our fallen heroes and heroines are set on us to uphold our liberation values and to make a difference in their daily lives, we cannot imagine any official in our government to show lack of responsibility and conscience towards the selfless sacrifices of our martyrs and our long and heroic struggle for justice, equality and dignity of our people. We as a government invite the public to firmly stand with us in this arduous but right war against corruption and abuse of public positions.