Eastern Equatoria approves 22 new districts

October 2, 2013 (TORIT) – The Eastern Equatoria council of ministers has approved the creation of 22 new payams [districts] in the state.

The payams were created during the 11th extraordinary meeting chaired by the state governor, Louis Lobong Lojore.

In an exclusive interview with Sudan Tribune in Torit, government spokesperson Clement Laku Chichim confirmed the approval of the new payams.

He explained that the payams, which will be provided with warrants of establishment, were created due to community demand.

“We approved those payams due to heavy calls and demand of our state communities across our societies, hence we hope this move will help greatly in reducing some of the tension boiling up in Eastern Equatoria state”, he said.

The council also resolved that old payams that are already functioning but had not yet received certificates will be issued with one.

However, the previously existing Lyire and Bur payams will not get their warrants of establishment until they resolve their conflicts.

Eastern Equatoria already had an existing 53 districts, with the new additions bringing the number of payams in the state to 75.

(ST)