W. Equatoria inaugurates new finance ministry

March 16, 2011 (YAMBIO) — Western Equatoria Governor Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro inaugurated on Monday the new headquarters for the state’s finance ministry.

The finance ministry says the new two-storey building has nine offices, open spaces, a storage with the capacity for ministry’s assets at a time, a parking lot for officials’ vehicles, meeting rooms, and other facilities.

Speaking during the ceremony, Bakosoro said the new building will improve working conditions for ministry staff, and thus help increase the productivity of the institution.

“In this festive environment, we want to challenge our social partners (traders and civil servants) to use this space as a true nursery of reflection to produce consensus that will lead to an increase in productivity rates”, he said.

“When we become as productive as possible we are also contributing to improving the business environment in Western Equatoria, to attracting investments and to generating more wealth and jobs”, he added.

Bakosoro attributed latest infrastructural development taking place in the state and South Sudan as the fruit of the 22-yr struggle for the regions self determination struggle. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) signed a peace deal in 2005 that allowed the South to vote on the independence of the region. After the region voted overwhelmingly to secede in January it is due declare its independence from the north in July.

“In old Sudan, people were living in corrupt centralized government based in Khartoum, but SPLM has made it possible for the government to be near the people and by the people”, added Bakosoro.

Bakosoro said that increasing productivity implies a change of attitude and more awareness that everyone must do their part to eradicate poverty.

“Poverty of the spirit, the poverty of the mind, may be a serious obstacle in increasing productivity at the work place. That poverty must be replaced by self-esteem that arouses the innovating and enterprising spirit within each of us”, declared the governor.

He encouraged the finance ministry to continue working to consolidate a good environment to attract national and foreign investment and strengthen conditions to guarantee social and business stability.

“The ministry should thus continue playing a very important role as a promoter of employment, by applying policies and programs that the government has been adopting in the areas of employment, professional training, social security and employment relations”, he said.

Bakosoro noted that the world is now gearing towards capitalized market economy. “Survival for the fittest, eat what you worked for and people should learn how to work for themselves,” he added.

The governor used the occasion to deplore all forms of corruption as it hinders rapid development. He pointed out that the state has money, but “the money is going into individual’s pockets.”

“America’s source of riches is taxation that is why America can donate today to almost all over the world”, the state minister of finance Evans Doctor Ruba said. “The inauguration of the new site of the ministry of finance is the sign of the positive changes” in the state he said.

Evans disclosed that the new building needs smart work, with smart staff for smart service delivery to the public.

SPLM State secretary Manasseh Doboi Agoli said at the event: “the SPLM vision of development has started to shine in the whole south after the liberation of the south for over 22 years.”

Manasseh stated that the SPLM condems the barbaric killings in the state of Jonglei by people who are anti peace and settlement of the people of South Sudan. Over 40 people are reported to have been killed when a militia attacked Malakal town at the weekend.

“It is now time for development of the south after serious marginalization, not destructions of the south again” he added

Juba-based Prism Company was the principal contractor for the building, which has been hailed as unique in Yambio.

The new building comes as a relief for ministry staff who have been working in cramped and inappropriate premises ever since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed in 2005. The old building, which is situated behind the new one, was shared with directorates and clerical sections. A few of the finance ministry services will continue functioning in the old building, including the Directorate of Taxation.

In addition the director general of the state’s ministry of finance Daniel Amosa said the ministry of finance had saved since 2008 to afford the construction of the two floor building.

(ST)