El-Geneina — Members of the legislative council from West Darfur dismissed their speaker, who is accused of searching for gold and neglecting his duties, Radio Dabanga was informed on Thursday, 15 November.

Speaker Mustafa Mohammed Ishaaq, dismissed by a two-thirds majority, was accused by the other members of weakening the prestige of the position he held, according to a statement.

Ishaaq, according to the declaration, had been busy taking care of his own business, such as gold exploration in Jebel 'Amer, and became a no-show in the council's general secretariat. This led to an administrative and technical vacuum, the statement read.

The speaker reportedly refuses to answer questions from the media concerning his dismissal.