By Philip Buda Ladu
Minister of Trade and Industry has suspended, indefinitely, two senior officials; Undersecretary and Chief Executive Director of National Bureau of Standards.
Executive Director of South Sudan National Bureau of Standards (SSNBS), Gloria Nyoka Joseph and Undersecretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry, John Achier Manyuat are send on compulsory holiday without pay, until further notice.
The move by minister, Atong Kuol Manyang, has sent ripples through the government and consumer protection circles.
The suspensions issued in two separate ministerial orders No.11 &12/2025 dated Friday, June 13, 2025 came amidst accusations of mismanagement and insubordination.
Meanwhile, for Executive Director Nyoka, her dismissal ironically follows a period of highly visible and “commendable” efforts to safeguard consumer safety.
Minister Atong, exercising powers vested by Presidential Decree No. 105/2025 and Article 114 of the Transitional Constitution, issued Ministerial Order No. 12/2025 for the immediate suspension of Hon. Gloria Nyoka Joseph.
The order cites “mismanagement of resources, unprocedural, divisive politics and undermining the Minister” as the reasons for her indefinite suspension.
Ms. Nyoka is now suspended, pending investigation, with Senior Director General Aldo Upiou Juady, appointed to act on her behalf.
Security organs have been directed to ensure immediate implementation of the orders.
Consumer Protection efforts under scrutiny
Nyoka’s suspension arrives at a perplexing time, given the SSNBS’s recent, widely praised actions under her leadership.
Just last week, on June 3, 2025, the SSNBS made headlines for intercepting and re-exporting five trucks of unfit grains at the Nimule Port of Entry.
This swift action saw two trucks of sorghum infested with live insects and three loaded with maize flour containing dangerous levels of aflatoxin turned back, preventing significant public health risks.
“The SSNBS remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding public health and consumer safety by enforcing national quality standards on all imported goods,” a recent SSNBS statement read. “Our mandate is clear: to ensure that only safe, high-quality, and standard-compliant products enter the South Sudanese market.”
Furthermore, under Ms. Nyoka’s directive, the SSNBS had recently mandated a comprehensive Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) program, announced on May 23, 2025.
This stringent regulation requires a valid Certificate of Conformity for all imported goods, issued by authorized international pre-shipment service providers, aiming to combat the persistent entry of substandard, adulterated, and counterfeit commodities.
This policy shift followed a series of successful interceptions that highlighted the urgent need for stricter import controls.
In May, the SSNBS intercepted and returned 11 trucks of substandard fuel at the Nimule border. Prior to that, in late April, 1,800 bags of non-compliant maize flour were re-exported, and on April 9, 2025, a consignment of damaged yellow peas and maize grains was disposed of at the Nimule border. These actions had demonstrably strengthened the SSNBS’s enforcement of quality regulations.
Undersecretary Also Suspended
In a separate but related development, Minister Atong also issued Ministerial Order No. 11/2025 on the same day, suspending Undersecretary John Achier Manyuat from the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Mr. Manyuat faces accusations of “insubordination, indiscipline, and intimidation” and has been suspended without pay until further notice. Relevant director generals and security organs have been directed to ensure this order.
This suspension of the Undersecretary carries additional weight, as Undersecretaries in South Sudan are appointed by the President and traditionally can only be dismissed by presidential decree upon a minister’s recommendation, raising questions about the procedural implications of an immediate suspension.
The dual suspensions particularly that of Ms. Nyoka Joseph, raise questions about the internal dynamics within the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the potential impact on crucial consumer protection initiatives.
Public reaction, especially from South Sudanese netizens and further investigations into the allegations are anticipated as this high-level trade ministry’s administration shake-up unfolds.