The Western Bahr El Ghazal Islamic Council Legislative body, known as “Shura”, on Saturday granted one more month to the external legal committee formed to review the Council’s assets and present a general financial and performance report.
The four-member committee headed by a lawyer was formed by Shura members in October 2012 to review all the properties run by the Council but most of the time it faced challenges to discharge its mandate, Voice of Hope reported.Muslim communities lost trust in the Council’s Secretary General, when rumours emerged that Moulid Square of Wau was sold to some business tycoons.
The committee said it was given four months to screen properties, fixed and liable assets, contracts and rent incomes which were allegedly exploited by the Council’s Secretariat.
Naser WedaAllah, who heads the committee, revealed that security agents interrupted the first meeting with the Islamic Council Secretariat members alleging that they were also members of the Secretariat.
They accused the Committee of mobilizing a Muslim strike in Western Bahr El Ghazal.
Mr WedaAllah said on October 15 the Council Secretariat wrote a letter denying the committee’s legal mandate.
He explained that the Secretariat argued that the Shura should have appointed a General Public Auditor according to the Constitution of the Islamic Council of South Sudan.
Mr WedaAllah said the refusal of the Secretariat to recognize the committee blocked their work.
The lawyer made these statements in a meeting held in Wau attended by 37 of the 60 Shura members.
Opposed Council Acting General Secretary Mohamed Issa was also present.