Salva Kiir reaffirms commitment to South Sudan development
By Mayen Deng
May 14, 2004 (JUBA) — In a speech before the southern Sudan parliament, the First Vice President and Government of southern Sudan chief, Salva Kiir Mayardit, today reaffirmed the commitment of his government to development plans
Kiir noted that progress is being achieved on improvement of physical infrastructure, provision of services, rebuilding of economy and maintenance of peace and security.
The GOSS President explained that the inter-state and seasonal roads are increasing daily, and revealed that the US Government has donated 70 million US dollars to support road constructions in Southern Sudan. On social service provision, General Kiir said that this sector is improving in terms of both quality and outreach, and stressed that health care service is reaching more people in Southern Sudan than 18 months ago.
However, he indicated that more effort is needed to curb with the growing health problems. To improve work in the health sector, General Kiir called on patriotic sons and daughters of Southern Sudan who had excelled in the field of medicine and are in Diaspora to return for the aid of their people at home.
On education, the GOSS President said that about eight hundred thousand (800,000) children had enrolled in schools this year. He stated that the GOSS Ministry of Education, Sciences and Technology are earnestly pursuing the “Go to School initiative” programme. The President appealed to parents to encourage female education because it is the key for the future and strength of the nation.
On the shortage of water, the First Vice President said that he recognized the problem, and disclosed that the Ministries of Cooperative and Rural Development and Water Resources are implementing rural water programme to provide water to citizens who are residing in areas far away from the River and streams.
Further more, General Kiir assured the House that the GOSS has achieved a lot in strengthening public institution. He affirmed that the principle of good governance is being pursued in diligence, adding that measures to ensure transparency is being consolidated.
The GOSS President called on the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly MPs, the Ministers and UN agencies to stand up to the challenges of repatriating Southern Sudan IDPs and refugees from northern Sudan and neighbouring countries.
Kiir went on to describe the forthcoming national census as a huge undertaking that Southern Sudan has not conducted before, recalling that the Southern Sudan population used to be determined by northerners for their interest.
However, this time, Kiir said that they would prove to the international community that Khartoum was wrong. The President added that the coming general elections would determine many articles of the CPA, and called on citizens to prepare for it.
On economy, President Kiir announced that there is tremendous expansion in the economy of Southern Sudan as he informed the lawmakers that the Southern Sudan centre for statistics would soon release data on economic performance of the region. President Kiir noted that his government has experienced financial hick up early this year because of total reliance on oil revenue as the only source of income for the government.
He stressed that this problem has highlighted the government to find other sources of income. General Kiir reiterated that the recent decision of the cabinet to pay fully employees salaries and wages as originally budgeted with the government bearing the 20% burden.
The President declared that the war on corruption would continue unabated despite the difficulties, and he called on the MPs to protect rigorously public funds and government properties from being misused by officials and their agents.
The First Vice President of the Republic and GOSS President reassured the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly that in the states he visited, he found the communities are peaceful and committed to rebuild their land.
However, he warned perpetrators of barbaric activities that GOSS would not condone such act of violence against civilians. He directed the Governors of the States of Southern Sudan to involve local people and traditional leaders in settlement of communal disputes amicably.
Finally, President Kiir called on Southern Sudanese to stay united to achieve greater goal of the people of southern Sudan, and stated that our earnest goal is to serve the interest of the people not of our political parties.
(ST)