14 new commissioners for Jonglei state: Are you kidding me?
By Philip Thon Aleu, Juba, South Sudan
September 16, 2016 (SSB) — Governor Philip Aguer Panyang appointed 14 commissioners to run 14 counties in Jonglei State. I did not think it was a good idea to have more than 10 counties. But I must now concede defeat and say congratulations to all the new commissioners.
Second is the question of the commissioners themselves! Out of 14, I recognized 3 faces; two career commissioners and one familiar face (call him ‘a commissioner in the waiting’). I don’t have any idea what the rest were doing before September 15 or if they were waiting to be appointed commissioners too. If your commissioner was folding his hands and waiting to be appointed to political position, without trying any another avenue of life, then you are in trouble. It seems many of them are in this category and so we are in trouble. We have many boring commissioners. I might be wrong, but time will tell.
This brings me to the third point: Who are the commissioners and what will they do? Appointment to political posts in South Sudan is seen as a gateway to green pasture – an opportunity to enrich oneself. Given the dire economic situation the country is facing, I cannot imagine what will be siphoned in the counties! There is nothing to loot. So the next opportunity to steal public resources is to tax the local traders to death, survey lands and give to investors to raise money to maintain the commissioners in hotels, buy cars, expensive cloth and for the commissioners to build their businesses. It will be a complete nightmare!
I think we deserve something better; paving of roads, building of public health centers, security to everyone; men, children and women, improve public education, electricity etc. The era of appointing leaders to merely enrich themselves at the expenses of the poor should be closed.
Here is an opportunity to serve the people. The biggest challenge to the people of Jonglei State before October 2013 and now is insecurity, primarily from cattle raiders and criminals that abduct children. Last month, Governor Aguer and his Boma State counterpart Baba Medan Konyi held a peace conference and resolved to follow up with more peace conferences. If this spirit continues, chances are that people of former Jonglei State as a whole, and the new Jonglei, will return to their villages. This will help in widening economic activities because people will be able to farm and explore other business opportunities that come with peace.
But having lived as refugees & IDPs for the last 30 years or so, in one way or another, it will require leadership to turn the mindsets of our people around. You have to convince people to engage in active economic activities. You have to tell them that the Bible says: ‘People who don’t work shouldn’t eat.’ You need to show them, tell them and lead them to be self-reliance.
Leadership is a rare commodity now and seems to be lacking among the so-called leaders of Jonglei State over the last ten years. If there is anything that the new commissioners will attain, it must require leaderships – not sitting in a flagged car and lodging around. Provide leadership and your tenure as commissioners will not be boring. For now, it looks boring before you actually take oath of office.
Actually, some of the new counties are virtually empty. Civilians left two or three years ago. Before doing anything, you must avoid being a king in a jungle. Let people return home – voluntarily. Convince them through leadership and provision of basic services.
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