A proposal for additional ten (10) new counties in Jonglei State.
By David Matiop Gai, Juba, South Sudan
February 10, 2016 (SSB) — Although there is a restriction or no method of analysis that will allow the citizens to determine the endpoint of small rural towns in the new established 28 states, I am quite sure that SPLM as a party do allow ground approach policies for attaining the views of the grass root levels or constituencies, and for this reason, the new designated Jonglei state of the 28 states in South Sudan deserve 13 counties compare to geographical areas, population and statistics of human capital and manpower.
The requirements of how counties upgrade are achieved already by all the payams of greater Bor community. Am sure each payam has development process and number of educated sons and daughters. The development process in County involves comprehensive reviews by numerous county and non-county agencies and may involve many steps before a project can be approved. In Greater Bor Community, we have this plan and approach since the community has 13, 000 well educated and professionals who can make payams-counties develop very fast.
As a specialized person in the area of humanities and social services, social welfare, social protection, and distribution of resources to the societies, it is exactly as a way to promote social, economic and political justice on behalf of vulnerable population that more counties are needed now to foster fastest development in this time depending on how urban-rural towns development planning must be reach in the country. Our resources are bigger than population and quality and quantity of these resources can afford small rural towns very effectively and sufficiently. In greater Bor community, we have oil in three areas of Totel/Malualagorbaar, Jallee, and Akeer. We also have domestic and wild life animals, as well as fisheries, and agriculture. All these are source of revenue to develop our economy at the state level to national level and back from national level to states levels.
The mistake of 2005 when Dr. John Garang gave directives to South Sudanese communities including greater Bor community to propose their counties but they refused Garang’s request especially Bor County with mere excuses that many counties will divide people should not repeat itself again. This idea of division when it comes to proposal of more counties in greater Bor community is totally a wrong idea. Why is it not a division when sons and daughters in a family are born and grow up and got marriage to their new families? I think those who did the failures in the past should not be part of the new proposal of new counties.
In my own opinion, I know ideas and views of the people differ but suppose additional ten (10) payams including Bor Town of greater Bor community who were recommended during the British ruled into payams should be upgrade to counties, because these are the types of our new counties today. What is wrong with it if payam in the states become counties like other payams in South Sudan? I experienced how greater Bor community’s populations double budget of their three counties 10 times. How can a populations of 221,106 or 282, 210 in Bor county, 85,349 or 122,730 in Twic East county and 65, 588 or 116,810 in Duk county according to 2010 Sudan census be a populations of three counties and we have bigger populations in other counties in South Sudan and in Diaspora while we are also producing!
I am not jealousy about payams who are already upgraded to counties in other parts of the country, but my view of writing is the honest request of other payams because payam is the same payam with other where counties appear. If counties are develop because of geographical area, or population, 13 payams in Jonglei state are already qualified for counties, because their historical background during the British colony, and their existence recommended them to be.
I am aware that the central government in Juba directed states governments to form their states structures of governments from governor and deputy governor, five states ministers, twenty two members of parliament, and previous commissioners. Each state is instructed to abide by this rule until further notice, but proposal like what I did is a work plan for the next step.
My request to Hon. Governor of Jonglei state and his government is to use this golden chance by increasing more counties in the historical state of Jonglei. To propose something and keep it in your notebook is not a crime, until the law permits more counties when economic crisis is national addressed. Therefore I would like to mention state counties by saying that our counties should appear in South Sudan history such as Bor county – Bor Town, Kolnyany county, Anyidi county, Makuach county, Baidit county, Jalle county, Maar county, Palieu county, Waguli county, Kongor/ Pawal county, Lith /Warnyiol county , Duk Padiet county, and Duk Payuil county.
In conclusion, this is a very important agenda because we cannot cheat ourselves this time, and the SPLM vision will promote community and economic development and the growth of counties, multi-counties surrounding in our areas, simply Counties are part of our system of local government. They respond to local community needs, while also supporting the state and federal governments. County responsibilities may include responding to emergencies, law enforcement, paving and repairing roads, creating and managing parks, and making sure we all have clean water to drink, and the Juba government may be relieve from the huge burden of responsibilities on social services delivery to sixty four tribes in the Republic of South Sudan.
The author is a co-founder of National Mental Health Care Organization; He holds Bachelor degree in social work and social administration from SSCUST, Bachelor degree in Theology from Christian Life Teaching Bible College, Kalispell Montana, USA. He can be reach at tonggaid551@yahoo.com/davidmatiopgai@gamil.com
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