By Philip Buda Ladu
The Speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), Rt. Hon. Jemma Nunu Kumba has constituted a 9-member ad hoc investigative committee to probe cases of malpractices within the mobile telecom network companies.
Rt. Hon. Nunu formed the ad hoc committee through a speaker’s order dated August 27, 2024, read to the house during the assembly sitting No. 38/2024 held on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.
She cited the TNLA Conduct of Business Regulation 2011 (as amended 2021) and the assembly resolution No. 45/2024 dated August 13, 2024, on an urgent and important matter concerning the allegation of malpractices of telecommunication network companies in the Republic of South Sudan as the legal basis for her order.
Furthermore, the speaker stated that she constituted the ad hoc committee in full consultation with the political parties chief whips and whips in the national parliament, which drew representation across all parties in the spirit of the agreement.
“I, Rt. Hon. Jemma Nunu Kumba, the Speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), do hereby constitute and form the following ad hoc committee to investigate malpractices within the telecommunication companies within the Republic of South Sudan,” the order partly read.
The committee is composed of 9 members, headed by Hon. Mary Nyaulang Reth as its chairperson and deputized by Hon. Paul Baba Ezbon.
Other members include Hon. Juol Nhomngek Daniel, Hon. Samuel Duwar Deng, Hon. Flex Edward Danny, Hon. Henry Omar Akol Awin, Hon. Chibur Goc Alei, Hon. James Deng Hou, and Hon. Pascalina Philip Wadeng.
According to the speaker’s order, the committee has been given a period of not more than 14 days to finish their work and report back to the house with their findings for deliberation and further action.
“The ad hoc committee shall report back to the August House within 14 days from the date of this order, issued under my hand this 27th day of the month of August, 2024, signed by Rt. Hon. Jemma Nunu Kumba, Speaker of the TNLA,” it stated.
The formation of this investigative committee came after MP Juol Nhomngek, representing Lakes State at the TNLA, presented a motion to the house on reports of malpractices by MTN South Sudan and their negative socio-economic implications on the welfare of the general public.
Juol in his motion alleged that individuals working with MTN South Sudan and ZTE Corporation, a technology firm partially owned by the Chinese government, have been illegally collecting USD 50,000 and demanding 10 percent of every purchase order from subcontractors who are forced to the bribes before being awarded contracts.
“Subcontractors who are overcharged as a result of alleged acts of brazen malpractices are forced to increase charges on their services that the public has to pay for them to cover the extra money paid as a result of the malpractices,” Juol stated.
According to him, the malpractices have affected communications costs across the country as netizens always complain of poor services and expensive mobile telecom tariffs.
The motion was unanimously endorsed by parliamentarians, prompting the House to resolve the formulation of a nine-member committee to gather more evidence not only from MTN South Sudan but also from other telecommunication companies such as Zain south Sudan and Digital Telecom companies in the country.
On July 23, Radio Tamazuj published an investigation story detailing how two senior employees at MTN and ZTE Corporation South Sudan were extorting kickbacks from subcontractors by threatening to deny them lucrative projects.
The story that seemingly ignited the motion in parliament exposed how a ZTE manager and his MTN counterpart were captured demanding US$50,000 and 10 percent of every Purchase Order (PO) as preconditions for the award of business to a subcontractor.