Lakes State education minister drops GESS scandal case
The Lakes State Minister for General Education and Instruction, Kongor Deng Kongor, has binned the GESS cash case after he reshuffled all the county directors.
The supervisor of Lekakudu Payam Mager Achiengwei Agou claimed that he met with the minister to discuss the progress of the case where he accused the Yirol East County Director, Sabino Mabor Aleng, of mismanaging the money.
But according to Mager, the minister blamed him for involving the media in the case, thus, forcing the minister to drop it and reshuffle the directors instead of dismissing Sabino as a disciplinary measure.
“I met with the minister, and he told me that I should return to the county because the case has been suspended. He told me that there was nothing for us to complain about again since the county director had been changed,” Mager explained.
“The minister said they wanted to dismiss the county director but pardoned him because I posted the complaint on social media instead of reporting it to them.”
Attempts to reach Mr Kongor were futile, as several phone calls to him went unanswered.
Reshuffle
Last week, Kongor promised to launch an investigation into the matter to find out the truth about the alleged misappropriation of funds and now he initiated a different approach through transfers.
He cited dissatisfaction over the actions taken by the supervisors by posting the details on social media.
Jacob Marial Rakoc was transferred from Rumbek Centre to Rumbek North, Peter Uyai Deng from Wulu County to Rumbek Centre, Enock Machouc Manyol from Cueibet County to Rumbek East County, and William Agoth Awur from Awerial County to Yirol East County.
Sabino Mabor Aleng was transferred from Yirol East County to Awerial County, and Permena Maduol was maintained in Yirol West while Peter Makuei Kocdong moved from Rumbek East to Cueibet County, and Peter Abol Kachoul from Rumbek North to Wulu County.
The case
Lekakudu Payam Supervisor, Mager Achiengwei Agou, said the county education director, Sabino Mabor Aleng, did not pay 81 teachers’ incentives- a total amount of SSP 1,733,400.
He claimed 772 girls did not receive GESS cash transfers. Each girl was supposed to be paid SSP 5,600, for a total of SSP 4,323,200.
The girls who missed the payment per school were: 60 girls from Central Payam, 106 girls from Pagarau Payam, 100 girls from Yali Payam, 69 girls from Malek Payam, 157 girls from Tinagau Payam, 160 girls from Adior Payam, and 120 girls from Lekakudu Payam. A total of 772 girls were not paid.
Mager also accused the county director of chewing the SSP 7.5 million community contribution, which was to be used for supporting teachers and developing schools.
He added that the director collected food items like beans, maize, oil, and sorghum meant for schools’ feeding programs, misusing SSP 405,000.
