A two-day commissioners forum has kicked off today in Jonglei state bringing all the commissioners from nine counties to dialogue on security, service delivery, development and get sensitized on peace agreement.
During the forum, county commissioners present their progress, challenges and way forward, discuss the roles of commissioners in the Implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.
“Our being together today will really pave the way for us, you (commissioners) will narrate what are the challenges in your counties. We are today with our lines ministries who have been working with you in your counties, you will talk about your challenges and your relationship with those officials who have been working with you,” said Hoth Duol, Jonglei state minister of local government and law enforcement.
Hoth said the forum provides an opportunity to dialogue to challenges and how they can be address jointly. He asked commissioners to talk express themselves openly and honestly during the discussion.
“…because your MPs will have to know that, they will have a memo which they get from you who is representing the governor in your county and your ministers will get from you the challenges and they will tell you how the state can can solve them,” He said.
Hoth counseled the forum to embrace the spirit of team work in delivering to their communities.
“When we team together, we can managed because we are the whole Jonglei. Today, this is the government of Jonglei state, there is no any other government and if we are doing good, it is we. If we are bad, we are treating our people bad, no another person to be blamed, it is we,” Hoth stated.
Ms Geetha Pious, head of UNMISS field office in Jonglei state said the conference will also explore ways of addressing the cattle raid, communal conflicts and child abduction between Jonglei and the neighboring communities.
“As you all know as county commissioners, executive, directors of the communities, you are actually the face of the government in front of the community. This is the forum where you can put forward what are the challenges you face as a community there, you have a large population there,” Said Ms Geetha.
“If we are going to go for a peaceful election democratic process, we need to think about how we can actually stop this vicious cycle of cattle raiding and youth violence in our communities,” she added.
The conference is being organized by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and is expected to come to an end on Thursday
