Are we Justifying that South Sudan is a Young Nation?
By Mapuor Malual Manguen
Just a day after Labour Ministry issued Order directing NGOs and private companies to hire competent South Sudanese in certain positions currently occupied by aliens, South Sudan’s government made a disgraceful U-turn. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin said his government will not expel foreign workers.
In effect, the previous order issued by Labour Minister, Mr. Ngor Kolong Ngor is annulled and buried in the dustbin of history of similar circulars.
Dr. Marial argued that the labour ministry was still in the process of working on employment regulations that would give skilled locals a fair chance to get jobs in private companies and non-governmental organizations. This argument appeared to contradict or veto an earlier circular issued by the labour ministry giving an October 15 notice as deadline for declaring mentioned positions vacant.
If Dr. Marial’s argument that there was no government policy ordering foreign workers to give up certain positions by October 15 is anything to go by, why did Labour Ministry issued that Order in the first place? Was this Ministerial Order issued prematurely? Didn’t the Minister of Labour make consultations with other stakeholders to assess its legality and ramifications in the region?
If these questions were not asked or unanswered before issuing Order, was it meant to gauge public mood? Or are we justifying our usual phrase that “South Sudan is a young nation?”
The way it was responded depicts weakness of the government. It exposes the government to more foreign interferences in its internal policies because this U-turn makes the government as weak as an institution which can just give in to any foreign pressure.
The negative interpretations, mockery, vilifications, threats and intimidations of South Sudan by neighboring countries of Uganda and Kenya shouldn’t have been responded in such an embarrassing way. Some sorts of dignified withdrawal of Kolong’s Order should have been devised to face-save image of the country.
To relax the October 15 deadline, the whole Circular should not be wish away just like that. Four months or so extension deadline should save both sides’ interests. It may give enough time to the would-be affected companies to adjust to new policy without disrupting their programs.
On the other hand, the government of South Sudan would be able to complete its employment regulation policies after which it will lay out strong grounds to defend its future undertakings on employment.
Moreover, four months extension deadline may serve a strong warning to private companies and NGOs that it is no longer “business as usual;” that they should not continue to overlook qualifications of local expertise as pretext of bringing aliens to take up South Sudanese jobs.
The author is journalist, blogger and political commentator based in Juba. He can be reached at mapuormanguen85@gmail.com
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