Trade ministry refutes allegations of illegal license issuance

According to the Ministry, the allegations come shortly after a major reform directive issued by the Trade Minister in July 2025.

By Aguok Chok

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has dismissed the allegations that its officials have illegally issued licenses to foreign traders.

In a strongly worded statement, the Ministry described the claims circulating on social media as “entirely false”.

It said they were “a deliberate and malicious attempt to defame and tarnish the image of the individuals and officials mentioned.”

According to the Ministry, the allegations come shortly after a major reform directive issued by the Minister, Atong Kuol Manyang, in July 2025.

“In July 2025, the Minister issued Ministerial Order No. 14/2025 A.D. This order mandated the immediate cancellation and recall of all outstanding import licenses that were issued from July 1, 2024, to the present,” the statement explained.

The Ministry further clarified that the directive was not only lawful but also necessary to strengthen accountability within the trade sector.

“The purpose of this directive is to verify and subsequently replace these licenses as a critical part of the ongoing reforms within the ministry,” the statement noted.

Officials believe the reform initiative, which targets loopholes in the licensing system, has disrupted illegal networks that had long benefited from weak oversight.

“This decisive action to promote accountability and transparency has understandably angered those who benefited from illegal activities,” the Ministry stressed.

The ministry argued that those individuals mentioned in the allegation were innocent reformists unfairly targeted by vested interests.

 “The individuals mentioned in these fabricated stories are, in fact, victims of a campaign against reform and accountability. They have bravely refused to collaborate with corrupt individual who are attempting to illegally divert public funds for their own personal gain, and as a result, they are being targeted,” the Ministry said.

The decision to cancel and review licenses was seen as one of the trade reforms taken by the ministry since the country’s independence.

The Ministry, however, emphasized that misinformation campaigns by those resisting change will not derail the reforms.

“The public is advised to disregard these defamatory allegations and to view the source of this false information as enemies of reform and accountability,” the statement urged.

Observers argue that the Ministry’s bold steps to withdraw and reissue licenses could help restore order and fairness in trade, ensuring that legitimate businesses thrive while dishonest operators are shut out.