Juba, South Sudan
January 9, 2022—The former National Pre-Transitional Committee led by Presidential Advisor on Security Affairs Hon. Tut Gatluak Manime has refuted the report that amounts of 160 million U.S dollars are demanded from them by traders but admitted a debt.
This comes less than a week after a group of traders, who claim to have been supplying food items to several cantonment sites across the country, told Eye Radio that they are demanding payment of more than 160 million US Dollars from the National Transitional Committee.
The group of about 50 traders claims they have been supplying the forces with food in Juba, Torit, Ashwa, and Kendila in Yei since 2019.
The alleged creditors also accused the head of NTC, Tut Gatluak of downplaying their meeting on several times whenever they go to meet him.
In Response to the claims, Tutkew Gatluak admits accumulating the debts but refutes the number of amounts as announced on several media outlets by traders.
“The group that is claiming over 160 million dollars is not true. Because we have counted all the indebtedness of the traders and we have it now,” Tut Gatluak told Eye Radio in an exclusive interview yesterday in Juba.
He said, it’s true that some of traders need money from them but disagreeing with total of the amount they claims.
“Some traders and air transport companies are demanding money from us but it is not like the way they have written the figure on your [Eye Radio] website.”, Gatluak emphasized.
Tut admitted their National Transitional Committee has contracted several companies to supply all necessary assistance to the peace forces but some of them have already been paid.
He denied claims that his office rejected to meet the disgruntled traders.
Gatluak is now calling on those demanding pay to visit his office to settle the matter.
“We are shocked with this news today morning because the money that the government is given for peace is not enough for the peace implementation arrangements,”he said.
According to senior presidential advisor, they always bring money for peace implementation requirements for all groups such as hotels, food suppliers for the training centers, drugs and cars renting and all elements that participated in the peace process.
“If those traders have delivered food to the training centers with 160 million dollars, why do these training centers complain from time to time that there is no food, this is no true statement.”, he argued.
National Transitional Committee NTC is the body charged with supervising the implementation of the 2018 revitalized peace deal but it has been also accused two years ago of involving in an embezzlement of the money meant for peace implementation.
