NGOs advised to see Equatoria counties officials for RRP Implemention
By Isaac Vuni
March 6, 2007 (TORIT) — The commissioner of Torit County, Col. Massimino Alam has appeal to NGOs involved in water drilling to put more efforts in drilling and rehabilitating wells to enable people affected with shortage of water remain in their respective villages.
He says water, sector require stop priority that has to be programme in accordance to seasons. Therefore,he urges the involved NGOS to put more energy in water supply because people the state are now moving away from their villages in search for water places.
He further said another more important concern was schools rehabilitation and construction that ought to be given top priority because schooling reopening next April.
Col Alam advised RRP consortium members to separately hold special meeting with county commissioners than being invited for general meeting of the consortium.
We Commissioners would like to gives you our special priority needs in a special meeting with your executive committee members than sitting together in general meeting of the consortium” remarks Col. Alam. Adding that “We Commissioners knows the thirsty villages that required urgent water supply in our respective areas of governance”
The State Minister of Physical Infrastructure, Mr. Cesar Efuk Alexander, appeal to NGOs particularly RRP consortium to work closely with his ministry especially in area of roads rehabilitation and construction. “I would like you to bring you proposal for possible addition or subtraction before its implemented. Otherwise, we have seen, there is nothing variable that is going on”. We really need to look at your programmes so that we agree on what should be done within the state of eastern equatoria, remarks the minister.
The RRP programe coordinator, Ms. Trch say RRP operates in transparency and accountable manner in a selected community areas and has availed its budget to all states ministries concern, She promised to send a copy of RRP budget to the minister.
Responding question on what bases the CRS maintaining roads in a particular county, Trch say it’s based on laborers base construction support. And they are supervised by executive committee of the RRP in collaboration with government of southern Sudan.
Commissioner of Lafon, Mr. Luka Aribok Marte, complains about RRP implementation programme being too slow to complete programs scheduled for completion in three years times as from year 2005.
He wondered what would happen if the projects are not completed in the specified period of time? He went on saying that in Imejeke village, the medical center RRP Coordinator talks of has no foundation laid yet because, He says, AVSI organization has delayed with drilling of borehole.
Commissioner Marte say at first AVSI started with drilling boreholes later shifted to digging spring well that was discovered by chance. Commissioner Marte questioned when AVSI is going to erect the medical center the agreed upon?
Is there another way for drilling a borehole for construction of medical center at Imehejek? Please, we need you to hurry up so that we cheeks up with the dry season, pleaded Commissioner of Lafon.
We hardly have roads constructed in Lafon County since God created the Sudan. Our current locally made roads are very bad especially during rainy season vehicles mobility becomes very difficult.
He said the community teachers have been teaching voluntarily and it would be good if they are pay regular monthly pay by RRP.
I have already discussed with management of AVSI who are going to start the work next weeks, say Tracy Oheir.
I think there would be no reasons to believe that the project activities would not be completed in time. Even so, there would be provision with UNDP for compensation. Otherwise, the RRP was initiated in year 2005 and its implementation started in 2006; as such, we have hardly completed one year and the project is scheduled to ends in year 2009, says Tracy Oheir.
Regarding payment of teachers and community health workers, Ms.Tracy Oheir, RRP Consortium Coordinator says it was clearly stated in contract agreement that they are to be paid by the government. However, she said RRP has got small amount of money to support agriculture extension workers but that the amount is not enough for the entire projects.
Mr. Mathia Loya, state Director General for Administration and Finance, ministry of Health said there are 28 NGOs operating in health sector but surprisingly, the ministry doesn’t see any NGOs with health facilities besides having no agreement with state health authority.
The commissioners are to advice you on their priority area. Otherwise you are providing vital services to our people who would be proud of you.
We as commissioners know the thirsty villages so get more information from us from time to time, advice Col. Massimino Alam.
Fr. Jacob Odwa, Acting Vicar General of the catholic diocese of Torit say the RRP are supporting DOT in building Isoke health center including paying doctor’s salary. Fr. Odwa hails the role of CRS in empowering the local community during hard and happy times in eastern equatoria state.
Ms.Tracy Oheir is the current Programe Manager of CRS as well as RRP Consortium programme Coordinator in Eastern Equatoria State.
During the meeting, RSRP presented its one month baseline household economy survey conducted in three areas: Average daily cash income at Imehejek village was US$ 0.18 per person, Imotong village has US$ 0.08 per person and Hyala village has US$ 0.16 per person.
Meanwhile the average daily water consumption at Imehejek village was at 5.56 litter per person in a day,Imotong village was 8.5 litter per person in a day and Hyala village at 10.4 litter per person in a day.the normal rate of water consumption per person is said to be about 12litters per person in a day.
Under the RRP in Eastern Equatoria state, CRS, AVSI, DOT and Merlin organizations are the implementing agencies in Education, Health care, water and sanitation, mine risk education, agriculture, peace building and livelihoods supports to the grassroots communities in the mentioned villages.
In attendance were, state Director Generals of Physical Infrastructure, Education, Health, Agriculture, Information and Communication, Deputy Director of SRRC, Commissioner of Lafon county and representatives of CRS, AVSI, DOT ,Merlin, WFP, AAR Japan, SNV, Caritas and Bridge organizations.
(ST)