February 4, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The Chairman of the Empowerment Removal Committee, Lt Gen Yasir al-Atta submitted his resignation after repeated criticism directed against the anti-corruption body by some government officials.

The Committee is tasked with dismantling the companies and investments of the former regime, its party, dignitaries and al-Bashir’s family.

On Wednesday, al-Atta who is also a member of the Sovereign Council told the Al-Sudani newspaper he submitted his resignation from the Empowerment Removal Committee.

He complained about the criticism directed against the Committee by parties in the Transitional Government, the Forces of Freedom and Change or the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) after the signing of Juba peace agreement.

He stressed he did not demand the dissolution of the committee and denied reports about this request.

"I did not ask to dissolve the Committee. I previously said if the government, with all its levels and some Forces for Freedom and Change, criticize the committee, its legality and its approach, so I suggest its dissolution if they do not like its work or its approach."

In addition to al-Atta, the Empowerment Removal Committee includes four other members Mohamed al-Faki who is also a member of the Sovereign Council, Omer Manis the cabinet affairs minister, Salah Manna the committee spokesman and Wajedi Saleh.

The anti-corruption body includes other members representing the ministries of Defence, Interior, Justice, Federal Government, Finance, the General Attorney, the General Intelligence Service, the Rapid Support Forces, the Central Bank, the National Audit Office and the Forces of Freedom and Change.

The committee among others was criticized by the Deputy Chairman of the Sovereign Council, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo "Hemetti", Gibril Ibrahim head of the Justice and Equality Movement, and many other political officials from the former regime or the revolution’s forces.

Recently, the committee’s spokesman Manna accused the General Attorney Taj Elsir al-Hebir of obstructing their action.

Observers in Khartoum say there is no clear separation of power between the transitional government institutions.

Further, the power struggle between the military component and the civilian cabinet created power-vacuum zones and aggravated cases of the dispute of power between different authorities.

Manna had accused the head of the Sovereign Council al-Burhan and Hemetti of ordering to release the wife of the ousted Omer al-Bashir without consulting them.

Al-Atta said he directed his cabinet members to transfer any issue related to the activities of the Committee to his deputy al-Faki.

"I devoted myself to other works no less important than the chairmanship of the Committee," he added.

(ST)