Unity state reshuffle brings in ‘better qualified’ officials

By Bonifacio Taban Kuich

March 9, 2011 (BENTIU) – The governor of Unity state Taban Deng Gai announced a reshuffle of ministerial posts, advisors and commissioners on Tuesday at the state headquarters in Bentui.

As part of the reshuffle some officials were relieved of their duties and not reassigned to other positions. Samuel Reyhok Nger was removed from his role as the Unity state minister for social development.

At the commissioner level, George Gatbany Chuol was removed from Mayiandit County and John Madeng Gatduel from Mayom County. Governors and state representatives are elected in South Sudan, whereas county commissioners are appointed by the governor.

Governor Gai appointed Marim Mut Tutroah as Unity state’s minister for social development and Gatkuong Ruey Lony as advisor for peace and reconciliation.

Simon Gadiet Jiek was moved from being state advisor for peace and reconciliation to being the new commissioner of Mayiandit County. Charles Machieng Kuol was made the new commissioner of Mayom County.

State minister of information and communication Gideon Gatpan Thoar told Sudan Tribune on March 8 that governor was attempting to catch up with the qualifications and standards for appointees required by the state government.

Thaor said the reshuffle attempted to bring people with qualifications and academic experience to “improve [the] quality of work in the state government” – Unity state’s minister for social development, Marim Mut Tutroah holds a PhD.

Governor Gai said he wanted to bring in qualified staff to do away with ignorance an illiteracy in order for Unity state to develop. He said that the officials had lost their positions to those with better qualifications.

He urged the communities to work harder in order to improve Unity state’s development by applying their skills. He said the institutions should employ people with the necessary qualifications and work experiences.

South Sudan will become independent in July after a referendum but has been in the process of nation building since 2005 when the region was granted autonomy from Khartoum as part of a peace deal. The agreement, which granted the South its self-determination, ended decades of civil war leaving the South one of the most underdeveloped regions of the world.

The two governments of North and South Sudan have begun the process of disengaging national institutions to form two separate independent countries, following the overwhelming vote for independence by the people of South Sudan in January’s referendum.

Officials from both North and South have acknowledged that South Sudan is already an independent state after the popular vote in January.

Sudan’s president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir issued a presidential decree in February recognizing the independence vote of South Sudan and requested the leadership in Juba to avail a piece of land in the capital on which to build an embassy for the Khartoum government.

On March 5 South Sudan’s vice president Riek Machar said that the region “is already an independent state”. He said that what remained, before the official declaration on July 9, were mere formalities.

Tens of thousands of South Sudanese government employees are expected to be repatriated from the north’s national institutions over the next few months. Many are expected to be incorporated into the South Sudan’s institutions.

(ST)