The transitional government has dissolved the National Transitional Committee (NTC) headed by Presidential Advisor Tut Gatluak, and replaced it with a new mechanism that will include the international community, said the government spokesperson.

Information Minister Michael Makuei announced the decision on Friday during a press conference called by the government delegation to the Nairobi Peace Process.

The NTC was tasked to oversee the implementation of the 2018 peace deal, but has been criticized for slow implementation in the security arrangement, as only 3,774 of troops were deployed out of the 53,000 Necessary Unified Force (NUF) graduated in the first phase.

The group previously accommodated political and military officials of the peace parties in hotels before struggling to pay their bills leading to their evictions.

Makuei said the government has resolved that NTC will be replaced by National Implementation Oversight Commission (NIOC).

The NIOC will be comprise a South Sudanese official, a Kenyan member of the Tumaini Initiative mediation process, and a third member of the donor community.

“We found that NTC was not delivering. So we came up with a new body in the place of NTC called National Implementation and Oversight Mechanism (NIOM). There is also what we call the National Implementation Oversight Commission on the other side,” he said.

“These mechanisms will be overseeing the performance of the security and the governance sectors. These bodies will be responsible for or answerable to the NIOC. This NIOC will be responsible for the day to day activities in the implementation of the agreement.”

“Okay, we have come up with that body. What is the composition? This body comprises South Sudanese, a Kenyan from the Tumaini Initiative and the donor community.”

Minister Makuei said the process to replace the NTC was aimed at ensuring a transparent management of the peace fund and speedy implementation of the 2018 peace deal.

“We do it like that for the sake of the security of the funds that will be deposited. Three people will be responsible for the signing of the chegue in these accounts,” he said.

“These people will be from the NIOC. One will be a South Sudanese, the other one will be a Kenyan from the Tumaini and the third one will be from the donor community, because there is a doubt.”

According to him, the region and the International Community have been skeptical about funding the peace deal due to perceptions that it may be misused.

He said the NIOC will be in charge of the day to day activities of the peace deal including overseeing progress in the security and governance sector.

“The international community and the region had been asking us, what is the guarantee that the money that we donate will not be misused and spent outside of what it was meant for.”

“So, we decided to come up with these mechanism, so that it is in charge of the day to day activities and whenever money is needed, it must be signed by these three people.”

Last year, the defunct body was evicted from its offices at the South Sudan Hotel after failing to clear 6 million dollars in the rental fees, a senior member of the committee revealed.

In May 2023, the First Deputy Speaker of parliament said the NTC, which oversees the peace implementation, should be held accountable for the slow implementation of the peace provision.

“The National Transitional Committee, has been there since the beginning without progress,” he said during Tuesday’s parliamentary session at Freedom Hall.

He further questioned why the executive organ of the government “pleases and prides in an institution that cannot deliver.”

Previous Post
Kiir vows improved education sector