By: Deng Athian
The Aweil Student Association accused officials from the office of the Vice President for Economic Cluster of obstructions.
According to the statement to the media, Aweil students from the public universities in South Sudan claimed that their desire to meet the VPs was played down since February.
However, efforts to reach the office of the VP for Economic Cluster were not successful at the press time, as several calls went unanswered.
According to the letter signed by the chairpersons of the Associations, their attempts to meet the vice president since February 2025 went unanswered.
According to the letter circulating on social media, students accused Bol Mel’s office assistants or aides of restricting them from accessing the public office for months.
The association leaders claimed that their main reason for meeting the VP is to discuss the welfare of the Aweil students across the five universities.
“We are to discuss the welfare of Aweil students in five public universities in the country since February 2025, but we have been intentionally restricted by Vice President Bol Mel’s office aids,” the student statement read.
Students’ leaders warn that they will be compelled to take further actions to engage with relevant students’ authorities and the public on the matter.
However, these complaints from the student leadership attracted online criticism, with others supporting the students as well as disagreeing and siding with the office of the vice president.
Also Garang Dut Aguar, the Secretary of Academic Affairs in the leadership of Aweil Students’ Association at the University of Juba distanced members of the executive body from a joint condemnation letter.
Dut said the body, comprising 15 members, was neither consulted nor involved in the approval of the letter.
“I am here to explore to you that the 15 executive members of mighty Aweil students Association at the university of Juba didn’t sit as the entire leadership to have a plan to condemn the restrictions made in the office of H.E. Gen. Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel the deputy chairman and the Vice President in the economic cluster,” Dut said.
In February South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit relieved Dr. James Wani Igga and appointed Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel.