Private property ownership contributes to stability – Sudan’s Machar

By James Gatdet Dak

June 25, 2008 (JUBA) – The Vice President of the Government of Southern Sudan, Dr. Riek Machar Teny on Wednesday said his government was encouraging both foreign and domestic private sectors to invest in housing sector in Southern Sudan to help meet the citizens’ demands for houses in the autonomous region.

He said the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) has already approached the German government and private companies in that country to build estates of houses in the region.

Dr. Machar also revealed that the Government of Southern Sudan was in the process of considering designing a policy that would make it possible for citizens to get loans and build private houses, adding that private property ownership also contributes to maintenance of peace and stability in any nation.

“If you own a private permanent property that you value, you do not create instability that would destroy your property,” said Machar.

He explained that the loans could be repaid back by installments.

He said the government should discourage accommodation of staff in government houses because this would not contribute to empowerment of individual’s economy and private ownership of permanent assets.

He said it was unfortunate that the pre-war generation was now joined by the generation of the recently concluded wars without any considerable houses built in Southern Sudan.

Since 2005, the autonomous GoSS has been spending millions of dollars every year to accommodate, in very expensive hotels, senior government employees who could not get government houses for accommodation.

Last week, the Government of Southern Sudan reached an agreement with the Ethiopian government on construction of houses in Juba. In a project to be implemented in early 2009, the Ethiopian government would provide expertise and building materials.

(ST)