The First Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, Arop Nuoi, is facing allegations of awarding overlapping and inflated cleaning contracts totaling more than $25 million to two different companies over similar services.
A leaked document claims Nuoi authorized a five-year, $17.46 million contract to Deng & Daughters Trading Co. Ltd. while an active six-year, $8.18 million agreement remains in place with Geners Company Limited. Critics argue the duplicative nature of the contracts raises questions of mismanagement, favoritism, and possible corruption.
“Can Hon. Arop explain the significant increase in contract value for the same services?” a section of the document asks, urging accountability and transparency in public financial decisions.
According to the breakdown, Deng & Daughters is set to receive $291,000 per month for janitorial services, while Geners is contracted at $113,000 per month for the same duties. The discrepancy and overlap sparked concerns that the Ministry may be sidelining the original service provider in favor of a politically connected firm.
The controversy follows a prior dispute between the same two companies at the National Communication Authority (NCA). Geners’ $33,000/month contract, active from August 2019 to August 2023, was abruptly terminated and replaced by Deng & Daughters in August 2023 under undisclosed financial terms.
Calls have been made for Dr. Jok Madut to independently assess both contracts before issuing public commentary. Meanwhile, stakeholders are demanding Nuoi justify his decision-making process and clarify the Ministry’s capacity to fund dual contracts without breaching financial regulations.
