Governor Futuyo debunks corruption charges as disagreements with deputy threaten Western Equatoria  

JUBA – Governor Alfred Futuyo of Western Equatoria State on Monday debunked corruption allegations by his deputy who claimed in a statement on Saturday that the governor has cut civil servants’ salaries by at least 30 percent without concrete reasoning.

The press secretary in the office of the governor Alex Daniel Digi said there is no any written order from the governor directing for cutting of civil servants’ salaries and that the state minister of finance cannot also cut salaries without a written directive from the governor.

“The state minister of finance is the one responsible for financial transactions unless there is a written order and directive from the governor based on the power granted by the constitution to the ministry of finance,” reads part of the statement released this morning.

On Saturday, Deputy Governor Kennedy Ganiko accused the governor of practicing rampant corruption in the state and claimed that the civil servants have gone for almost seven months without salaries, charging that the governor has cut 30 percent of civil servants’ salaries.

Alex described the corruption allegations as misleading information fabricated by the deputy governor to tarnish the image of the governor.

“This is misleading information by deputy governor Dr. Kennedy Gaaniko and some state officials saying the state assembly has not been paid for the last five months,” it said.

“The avaricious officials didn’t mention specific months that have not been paid, of which August salary is now in the process unless there is a separate salary known by the deputy governor,” he added.

It accused the deputy governor and his party members of being the source of insecurity in the state.

“I would like to inform the general public that the deputy governor and his party members who issued the press statement seem to be the source of insecurity in the state,” it said.

“Because virtually, a year after inter-communal conflict in Tombura between Zande and Balanda, there has been no report of insecurity in the part of the state which means anti-peace elements were within the system and are trying to bring insecurity in the state by all means.”

It claimed that the deputy and his friends’ intended to enrich themselves with resources of the state but the governor refused and that is why they ganged up against the governor.

“I would like to bring to your attention that the press statement issued by covetous leaders who only want to endow their pockets with state resources and deliver nothing to the community,” it said.