Minister of the Interior visits Western Equatoria

February 1, 2012 (YAMBIO) – South Sudan’s minister of the interior, Alison Monani Magaya arrived in Western Equatoria’s capital, Yambio, for the first time since assuming the post.

This was the last leg of a ten-state tour which also included the inspector general of the police, Achuil Tito, the director general of prison service and the director general of the fire brigade.

“The ministry of the interior is the face of the government, if the police is doing well, then the government is good  if the police is doing badly the government is also doing badly, not the army,” said Magaya.

He said manpower, transparency in finance, management and the logistics of the organised forces, social welfare and salary structures are amongst the most important aspects of governance to tackle.

Magaya urged the state government to be security conscious as many militias hoping to de-stabilise South Sudan are operating at a state level.

The Minister also inaugurated the Prison Service hospital in Yambio and the female ward which was constructed by the UN Development Programme (UNDP). 

Males and females previously had to share cells.

The state governor, Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro, called upon the Ministry of the Interior to plan for more training in the state.

Bakosoro said the police in the state required more training; some security force members were unprofessional and were found drinking in bars.

Bakosoro called upon the delegation to organise access for the citizens of the state to national ID cards and passports within in the state, rather than just in Juba.

In response Tito said by mid-February the electronic systems for enrolment will be installed in the states.

Magaya hailed the warm welcome accorded to him in Yambio, and the hospitality rendered upon their arrival.

(ST)