MPs defy speaker over new team on economic crisis

Members of the National Assembly have thrown out a proposal to establish a new team to oversee the management of the biting economic crisis.

The new initiative came last week in the wake of a controversy over the pay rise of low-grade civil servants.

The Council of Ministers announced in February that salaries for workers from grade 10 to 17 would be tripled after the devaluation of the pound, which led to a soaring rate of the US dollar against the pound and a rise in market prices.

The salary increment was to be effective in the same month, but the parliament was yet to discuss the matter and approve a supplementary budget to meet the cost.

The Speaker of the National Legislative Assembly, Manasseh Magok Rundial, said his office has been receiving complaints from the pubic, alleging that the house was sitting on the bill.

“Parliament has not been informed about the increase of salaries. We have no idea of that,” Hon Magok said.

After this controversy, a bill which MPs thought carried the backing of the assembly leadership was tabled in parliament on Monday by Hon Pascal Bandi, seeking to establish an ad hoc committee to handle the economic crisis.

The committee would be composed of chairpersons of the eight standing committees, to be chaired by the speaker himself.

They would generate ideas and make recommendations on how to improve the economy.

However, the lawmakers said the work could be done by an already existing committee of Finance and Economy. This will give room for the other urgent matters to be discussed by the assembly.

“We need to talk about the problems of hunger; people have died, some have run away; others have gone back to Khartoum,” said Hon Mary Nyibol, a member of the house.

“We want this problem to be solved very quickly. No for ad hoc committee. To me this, will not happen. we don’t want any ad hoc committee,” she added.

Other MPs felt the motion to create another committee on the economic situation was not done transparently.

“If this house comes out and says there is a need for an ad hoc committee, then we will come and agree in this house because it is the responsibility of the house, not behind doors,” said Onyoti Adigo Nyikwec, Minority Leader.

Instead, the MPs asked the Minister of Finance, David Deng Athorbei, and the Governor of the Central Bank, Kornellio Koryom, to appear before the house to explain the controversy over pay rise and the worsening economy.

Mr Deng was outside the country on an official mission, but, according to the Chairman of the Information Committee Oliver Morri, MPs wanted him represented by any of his two deputies.

For Mr Koryom, it was important that he attended in person.

However, the sitting in which the officials were expected in parliament wasn’t held on two accounts: the failure by the officials to appear before the August House, and the death of former head of the Finance Committee, Prof Bari Wanji, who died earlier in the week after an illness.

It is now unclear when the parliament will reschedule the discussions on the state of economy and salary increments.