GoSS: Loose and dysfunctional chains

By J. Ojoch*

February 2, 2009 — Our Government is strangled, almost out of breath. Something is wrong and must be corrected. Take it for criticism and miss the point.

For a machinery to run smoothly the engine and all parts must be well oiled. If not the machine stops to work until repaired expensively. A government system is like a machine. The hierarchy, from top to bottom, must work and run smoothly through established ethics and appropriate manpower for each branch and each section to render the required services. Directives from the top must reach down quickly through the chain of command. Similarly, the feedback from the bottom must get to the top as appropriate steps are taken along the way.

However, this is not so in Southern Sudan. Much of the chain seems locked up and rusted. All parts are not working together in tune. Decisions made at the top, vanish at some point in the system nor do the voices from below reach the top. The system is at loggerheads with itself. For this reason we see troubles manifesting themselves in the form of tribal feuds, inter-clan and clan fighting, cattle rustling and human abduction. What is known in Equatoria as “land grabbing” is a result of this dysfunctional chain.

The lawmakers pass the bills and the President passes out decrees. Implementation has not been possible for the most part. Directives die in the middle of the chain. Bills and decrees can die at the State level or at the County level or at a certain ministry because the concerned officials at strategic points in the chain do not take actions. They sleep on them. Today, we are hearing the lawmakers calling certain governors to Juba to explain why insecurity rages high in their states. It is embarrassing. The chains in those states might have stopped moving or rotating. The directives passed to those regions died in somebody’s office. One example is the presence of Bor cattle and people in Equatoria at this time when it has been decided that cattle farmers from Bor or elsewhere must return home. Other dead examples are directives to reconcile tribes, clans and sub-clans who are still at war and misunderstanding. What we saw in Malakal recently was a result of sitting on directives and pleas from the communities for help with the neighbors.

Another such example is the directive by the President to Jonglei Governors to resolve the Anyuak issues with the Lou Nuer. Certain committees are now stuck with it. Recently, however, Riek Machar went to Akobo. He attempted to reconcile pastors of the Akobo Presbytery. VP Riek also talked about Anyuak/Lou issues while in Akobo in front of the two communities and issued directives for the Lou and other Nuer clans to vacate Anyuak land as soon as possible with a warning. It is a big step forward. Follow up from Riek’s office is needed. If not it will hang up in the system like many others just in the same way the reporter with the VP bypassed to mention it in the media. The media has blocks in it too because reporters have their own interest.

Going back on track, individuals making the chain are not to blame for the stagnation of the links in the system. They were appointed and have the right to work. Persons making the appointments or employers are responsible for the chaos. Appointments are by loyalty and family relationships without regards to qualifications and requirements of the positions. Let there be loyalty and relations, but also let the persons appointed be qualified for the jobs. As it is, the wrong appointees or employees have rusted the system. Hence much of the needed work output is dead as a result.

Work ethics is another evil. Many officials and their workers do not follow a theme at work that is expected to bring results. At some point in the day many offices are vacant. Both bosses and subordinates are at home or having a cold drink at some place. There is no difference between leisure and working hours. Hence the chain lacks decision makers at the right time. Since it is a network of relatives, friends and loyalists, the word “supervision” is meaningless. Everybody is equal and the same.

The big official or the boss may be this man of limited education. He was appointed. Even if there is education this job is not for him. It is therefore unquestionably difficult to implement the requirements of the job. Directives from above pile on his desk. Eventually the mountain slides down. No actions were taken on what was in those files as they go to the archives to die. Jobs not matched with the right personnel suffer. That is what is happening.

Another work killer is the conflict of interest and misuse of government resources including money. Some big shots have private businesses. This is good and healthy. It is a contribution to the economy. But in our country such officials value their private enterprises above the government jobs and obligations. They spend more time at their businesses than in the offices where files are piling up by the day. When at the private business the government vehicle is also there hauling stuff for his business or sending the wife out to bring more merchandise with the official vehicle. Much worst officials connected with salaries and government purse divert the money to support the businesses hoping to repay it back sooner. No wonder that teachers, soldiers, nurses and ground level employees are not paid for months on hand. The blame is usually on poor roads to the rural areas. But employees in Juba itself are not paid on time. The explanation does not jive. The point here is someone is killing the services that might have been rendered to other poor people in the form of better security, better school standards, clinics and so on.

There are a lot of examples available. The reader can identify some of those or dispute what is told here. Suffice it to say that our government is not well prepared to do the job for its people with all the obstacles in the chain of command. The road to some development ends up quickly along the way because of the gaps in the system created by known ghost workers. The call is often for the diaspora to join the workforce. But the manpower in diaspora has been discouraged to join the workforce by one thing: The long wait to find the job and not having links in the system. Diasporans have applied at various times. Those applications are swallowed by the system. Some have reported home only to get frustrated and returned to the West or East. Why? No relative or some link in the system. After all, some officials loath the appearance of diasporans because their jobs might slip away.

Any situation can be remedied. The manpower in the Southern Sudan today may fall short of the requirements. But the use of the available manpower is wrong as stated above already. It is possible to reshuffle the personnel in each ministry to match experiences. Exchange of personnel across ministries is also possible to match job and experience. Those who cannot fit anywhere must find another way to live. They can be given loans to start own businesses such as grassroots industries or agriculture. The vacancies will allow the diaspora manpower to avail itself. This manpower should be screened and not taken for granted. Some may claim big qualifications like being professors when they are not. Such exercise is painful but at the end it will be less painful. After all we are cleaning the system. Last year payrolls were scrutinized in some States. It was painful but so much money was saved. Ghost workers disappeared and left that money behind.

Employees on the job must continue training to update or acquire new skills, especially administrative positions. People with specialized experiences can learn more in seminars and can teach others. Training is going on now to some extent even though relatives have been selected to go to such trainings. It is not as bad as having nothing. All families cannot be represented. When they return with experience they will not be like the walking known ghosts. Their return into the system is a remedy.

Attendance and work ethics must be instituted beginning from the boss. If the boss is always timely at work others will follow. When the boss is sleeping at home during working hours the rest will want a knap also. Discipline begins by example. Let the boss sincerely and consistently show that discipline. Others will not risk not to report to work Attendance at work is the basis of production.

Release of budgets must be fast to enable activities start off and thrive. With budgets caught in the system no work can ever move forward. Pay salaries on time to all employees without exception. Direct deposit in the banks is possible at least for the bulk of employees with access to the banks. This will decrease going around with money in the boxes and all delays.

All of the above obstacles are our own creations. These are facts that we live with all the time. They are bad and must be removed so that we spur the development. It is our own government. We wanted it. We got it. Should we kill it again? Let us put aside our personal interests and find common ground to work together for our country.

*J. Ojoch can be reached at [email protected]