An Open Letter to Hon. Tong Akeen Ngor: Disregards the lobbyists and pleases the majority of NBeG state
By Tito Awen Bol, Juba, South Sudan
Saturday, July 04, 2020 (PW) — Dear Hon. Governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, this is not a usual congratulatory message that pour in after the announcement of any senior political post-holder. It is not that I do not need to congratulate you. However, I feel that I lobbied enough in some groups into what have contributed to some extend into your nomination.
Therefore, it is not much about the congratulations but about what to do after the appointment…still, more congratulations Sir. After all, you deserve a lot from us youth by supporting you in term of advice and at other levels including some of the youth serving directly later in your administration.
The period of lobbying has been heaty and hectic but you won the majority demand and the president H.E Salva Kiir deserves huge appreciation for answering the rightful calls of the majority of the people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal. Hon. Tong Akeen, people believe that you will be the right person to disapprove and put to an end the notion of ‘it is our turn to eat.’
Your previous short term as a governor has proven beyond reasonable doubt that you are the right man for the job. Moreover, now that you rightfully came back as the governor of NBeG, I unequivocally, precisely, concisely and freely wanted to give you the following advice in case you may be kind enough to take one, two or three from them:
1. Do not please those that lobbied for your appointment but please the people of Northern Bahr El Ghazal. People of Northern Bahr el Ghazal are looking for a leader and it matters not if you please the lobbyists and disregard the majority that you were appointed because of their demands. The time when you physically worked with thepoor citizens by creating waterways was where they started admiring your leadership. President Kiir answered their ‘street voices’ leading to your appointment. So, do what pleases them rather than pleasing the politicians.
2. Calling for State Strategic Development Conference (SSDC) in which you can invite the professionals from different walks-of-life so that you can draw the developmental blueprint and make priorities for the state. Northern Bahr el Ghazal has been in existence for so long as a state but there has not been developmental conference that has ever been held at least to know the priorities of the people and at most to be implemented by the political successors. Having such conference will much show that you are a man of the people and indeed you do not operate on your own but work by people’s choices. State Strategic Development Plan (SSDP) will be your great legacy to be pointed to your administration rather than governing on opportunities.
3. Making unity a priority among all the people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal by sponsoring unity and reconciliation among our people. From our tea joints, you are thought of as one among the few other persons that can reunite our politically divided people of reconstituted state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal. Hence, make sure that you actualize the expectations of our peaceful natives of Northern Bahr el Ghazal by constituting a representative Peace and Reconciliation Committee (PRC) with short mandate of bringing our people together.
4. Abolish or suspend the unreasonable household tax (hat tax) and focus on rightful use of PIT. Household or hat tax has been in existence in Northern Bahr el Ghazal for remarkably memory and yet there is no definable achievement ever came from it except siphoning the money from the poor people. Globally, household taxes and PITsare expected to improve the services to the people. Nevertheless, in our situation; they improve the services for the politicians. If you wanted to relate well with the common people, ensure that there is no such deed during your time. Alternatively, in a situation where you need hat tax for a purpose; ensure that you define what can be done with the household tax, take it through the parliament, and finally respect the voice of the parliament. Personal Income Tax (PIT) has long been used as the governor’s and few friends’ income in the state rather than being the state’s revenue…change the status quo beny.
5. Working with youth and profoundly supporting all the youth structures in our five (5) Counties and having youth reasonably represented at all levels of your government. Worldwide, youth are the future of the nation and better future happens through better leadership preparation at youth leadership structures. This happens not to be the case in Northern Bahr el Ghazal-youths are ill prepared for better future. Most of the Governors in NBeG fear that if youth are strongly prepared by democraticallyorganizing youth structures, it may ‘backfire.’ That is not true, the movement a leader does that (organizing youth), he always become the hero and mentor of the youth. Kindly support all the youth structures in NBeG and you will realize that indeed you are the hero and become the greatest youth mentor in our state.
6. Ensuring that University of Northern Bahr el Ghazal is established and getting operational in a year. Honorable Governor, for few of us that have managed to attain our undergraduate education from foreign countries, we know how hard and expensive it is. Therefore, having the University of Northern Bahr el Ghazal operational will be a novel achievement worth mentioning. Thus, it is my appeal that you put together your energy, effort and resources to help Dr.Stephen Chol Ajonga by making sure that this University operates by next year.
7. Building an autarchy micro-economy in Northern Bahr el Ghazal by ensuring that you make agriculture and roads as your top priorities during the three years of your office. Take for example; Northern Bahr el Ghazal is one state potentially capable of feeding its population and possibly capable of exporting groundnuts and rice or their products to the rest of the World if educated resources are capitalized on. Make use of your time to establish micro-agricultural economy in Northern Bahr el Ghazal. Remember, ‘hungry man is an angry man.’
8. Youth empowerment through national employability and undergraduate & post-graduate scholarships & sponsorships. Obviously, youth of Aweil are not benefiting from national employment and scholarships not because they do not have the required education but for many reasons that I am to withhold. Kindly, shoulder it so that we can benefit in the national opportunities like youth from other states. Recommending ones’ son or friend’s son has not helped us and it will never help us! Make sure as well that your office sponsor some post-graduate and undergraduate students to some World Universities.
9. Complete your two projects: the water-drainage Projectand the filling of food deficit gap. I never wanted to shed more light on this because you have realized that the two have contributed a lot into a reason why the voiceless people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal wailed enough to see you appointed as a governor.
Tapiny ku tapiny…Ku ben hen gam alanh Kang da beny ku ben muoc nyin den det!
The author is a concern citizen of South Sudan and a native of Aweil Community. He holds BSc Degree in Agriculture from University of Eldoret and Associate Degree in Development Studies from University of Eastern Africa-Baraton, Kenya. Can be reached on awenbol2007@yahoo.com
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