Controversy surrounds Chamber of Commerce chair in Northern Bahr el Ghazal

JUBA — A dispute has erupted within Northern Bahr el Ghazal State’s business community after the state ministry of labour ordered the suspension of the chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce, a move that has been rejected by the ministry of trade, mining and industry as unlawful.

The controversy follows a ministerial order issued on Jan. 2, 2026, by the state Minister of Labour, Public Service and Human Resource Development, Hikma Ali Malek, directing Chamber of Commerce chairperson Deng Makol Athian to relinquish his position and hand over office files and equipment to a newly formed steering committee tasked with organizing elections.

In the order, seen by Sudans Post, the minister said the decision was made under powers granted by the South Sudan Workers’ Trade Union Act of 2023. The order also announced the formation of an 11-member committee to oversee the electoral process for new chamber leadership.

The Labour Ministry accused Deng of overstaying his mandate and mismanaging the chamber since assuming office in 2020. The letter cited provisions of the chamber’s constitution, arguing that members were being denied their right to elect and be elected to leadership positions after the expiration of the chairperson’s term.

“The leadership term of Chairman Deng Makol Athian has finished since it began in 2020,” the letter stated, adding that traders had formally complained and were entitled to fresh elections under Article 11 of the chamber’s constitution.

The decision was reportedly informed by a fact-finding committee led by the state security adviser, Awet Kiir Aweet, whose findings recommended action against the current leadership, according to the Labour Ministry.

However, the move was swiftly challenged by the state Ministry of Trade, Mining and Industry, which issued a separate letter declaring the suspension “null and void” and accusing the Labour Ministry of acting beyond its mandate.

“The Ministry of Trade wishes to clarify that suspending or dissolving the leadership of the Chamber of Commerce does not fall under the mandate of the Ministry of Labour,” the letter said. “The Chamber of Commerce operates under its own constitution and internal rules, which clearly outline how disciplinary matters should be handled.”

The Trade Ministry further asserted that it is the only state institution legally mandated to oversee matters related to the Chamber of Commerce, including leadership disputes.

Deng Makol Athian, who was appointed as chamber chair by former national minister Benjamin Bol Mel, has previously been at the center of political controversy. He was briefly detained in the past amid allegations of links to opposition figure and former army chief Paul Malong Awan, before being released under the administration of former governor Tong Aken Ngor.

The latest dispute has deepened divisions within the state’s business community and set up a standoff between two key ministries over authority and governance.

It remains unclear whether the suspension order will be enforced as the institutional dispute continues, raising questions over the legality of any planned elections and the future leadership of the Chamber of Commerce in Northern Bahr el Ghazal.