Greater Pibor commissioners to be sworn-in

September 28, 2014 (BOR) – The seven commissioners recently appointed for the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) counties in South Sudan’s Jonglei state are to be sworn-in.

The GPAA, a semi-autonomous region, came into effect after president Salva Kiir signed into law a peace accord recognising its formation. This followed the signing of a peace agreement between the government and South Sudan Democratic Front Cobra Faction led by former rebel leader David Yau Yau.

President Kiir later appointed Yau Yau as chief administrator of the GPAA.

Joseph Lilimoy Agozia, the former spokesman for the Cobra fraction, said the justice ministry was being lobbied to appoint a lawyer for the swearing-in occasion.

“We are already in the process of creating our government. We started with the commissioner. The communities had nominated the seven commissioners and the chief [administrator] had appointed them, but swearing is not yet done,” Agozia told Sudan Tribune on Sunday.

“It is still a long way to establish the full government,” he added.

Officials say the semi-autonomous area will comprise of six council members to be drawn from each of its seven counties. Their roles will be equivalent to those of lawmakers in the state legislative assembly.

The GPAA departments, similar to state ministries, will then be formed and be headed by administrators. These include health, education, finance, agriculture, among others, to be overseen by the council.

Yau Yau rebelled against government in 2010 after losing elections to represent Pibor county in Jonglei state’s legislative assembly, accusing the ruling SPLM party of rigging votes. In 2011, he accepted a presidential amnesty, but rebelled again the following year.

(ST)