South Sudan President briefed on scrutiny of govt contracts

April 1, 2007 (JUBA) — Southern Sudan Government President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, on Saturday March 30 discussed, in a meeting with a delegation headed by the Anti Corruption Commissioner, Pauline Riak, and the Auditor General, Barnabas Majok, the scrutiny of contracts entered into by the government in 2005-2006.

According to a press release by the office of GoSS President, the Anti Corruption Commissioner and the Auditor General both emphasised that much work was being done. However, there have been problems in accessing the relevant documents.

Of 400 contracts entered into by the government of Southern Sudan, only 130 had so far been secured for scrutiny. However, some positive effects were already being felt, as certain institutions (such as the SPLA) had set up their internal committees to review contracts and ensure transparency.

Major Khan Tut, of the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development, added that some institutions had responded better than others; he singled out the SPLA in particular for its level of efficiency and organisation in this regard.

All other Governmental institutions were urged to co-operate with the process, locating the contracts they had entered into and supplying them to the Ministry of Legal Affairs, Audit Chamber or Anti-Corruption Commission.

The scrutiny of contracts entered into by South Sudan government has been assigned to the combined grouping of the Southern Sudan Anti-Corruption Commission (SSACC), the Southern Sudan Audit Chamber (SSAC) and the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development.

These bodies have each assigned one representative to the technical team tasked with the job of collecting and assessing all contracts issued in the relevant period.

The team consists of: General Khan Tut of the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development, William Labi Yoele of the Audit Chamber — both of whom attended the meeting — and Hastings Yokau Roba, of the Anti Corruption Commission.

In his speech at the Sudan Consortium Meeting in Juba on March 21, Salva Kiir Mayardit, strongly reaffirmed his commitment to fight corruption in the southern administration. He disclosed that his government is drafting a legal arsenal to this end, including the Public Financial Management Act.

(ST)