W. Equatoria governor returns from Juba security talks

April 27, 2011 (YAMBIO) – The governor of Western Equatoria state Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro arrived in Yambio the state capital on Wednesday April 27 from the South Sudan capital Juba after attending a conference on greater Equatoria held in Juba.

Upon arrival in Yambio the governor briefed his cabinet and state legislators that “the Equatoria region is working towards better Republic of South Sudan.”

The Equatoria conference called for federal system of government in the new Republic of South Sudan, when the rgion becomes an independent state in July.

South Sudan voted secede from the north in a referendum in January agreed as part of a 2005 north-south peace deal.

“We are going to submit the resolutions of the conference to the presidency of Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) and the Speaker of GOSS assembly so as one of the fruitful documents in the upcoming nation,” Bakosoro said.

The governor was in Juba together with his counterpart, the governor of Lakes state Chol Tong where they both met the security committee of southern Sudan to find an amicable solution to the conflict between Mvolo county of Western Equatoria and Yirol West of Lakes state.

While in Juba the governor attended a series of meetings that included the tribal conflicts between Jur tribe of Mvolo and Dinka Atuot of Yirol West.

In the council of ministers’ hall, Bakosoro reiterated that Equatorians should resort to dialogue rather than conflict.

The GOSS recently announced the deployment of units from the South Sudan army and security services to address widespread insecurity in the state, mainly caused by the Uganda rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

Bakosoro revealed that “former Joint Integrated Units or JIU are going to be deployed to Western Equatoria state to boost security of the state as decided by the government of southern Sudan.”

However, there has been criticism against government from citizens of Western Equatoria, many of whom still remember the 2007 incident when three senior police officers were shot dead in Yambio. Members of the JIU were blamed for the killings but no one has ever been tried.

Promotion of private investment is one of the top priorities of Bakosoro – while in Juba governor Bakosoro established contact with possible investors.

“My government is working hard to get some investors to the state, but the challenge now remains that the investors need bonding guarantees from the state.” The governor did not discuss how his government plans to address the demands of potential investors.

He urged the state ministers and county commissioners to embark on serious planning for better service delivery to the people of Western Equatoria.

Bakosoro revealed that “ten state governors of southern Sudan will be travelling to Nigeria, Botswana and Ghana,” Bakosoro has been nominated to travel to Nigeria.

“The trip is being organized by the Government of Southern Sudan as we wait the briefings from the President on Friday “he said.

Bakosoro also announced that the upcoming South Sudan independence celebration has been decentralized so that that every state can organize its own celebration.

One month ago GOSS announced $30 million had been approved to pay for the landmark occasion. Over one thousand international guests including heads of states are expected to converge to Juba to take part.

Bakosoro told the general public that “[w]e should now begin preparations for the celebration in all forms of activities to make that day a day of freedom, relaxation and the happiest day for every southern Sudanese in the state.”

South Sudan is set to become a sovereign nation on 9 July 2011 as the 54th country in Africa and world’s 193rd Country.

(ST)