W. Equatoria holds planning meeting with international NGOs

July 28, 2011 (YAMBIO) – The Western Equatoria state government under the leadership of the governor Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro on Thursday held the first partners meeting in the new republic of South Sudan with all the international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international community operating in the state aimed at strategising for planning system for the state.

Addressing the partners governor Bakosoro said, as the South is already an independent country, there is high need for the government to coordinate its activities with the NGOs in the state and country wide for better a planning system.

“We were under another government [in Khartoum] and the system was different from what we need to have today as [a] sovereign state,” he said.

He noted that the government needs technical support from world institutions and donor countries on how to lead this country in a better way.

Bakosoro added that it is also essential for the government to know the implementation of the projects carried by various NGOs operating within the state, their locations of operation in order to avoid the duplication of activities or efforts in one location.

“We need to decentralise our activities so that services can be delivered to other counties of the state,” stressed the governor.

He pointed out that mechanism will be set in place and strategies to have long term and short term plans which need both the government and the NGOs.

Bakosoro said the government is also concerned about the recruitment procedures in the organisations.

“The state ministry of labor and public service have come up with [a] data collections circular meant to know the numbers of both national and international working in the various organisations and government offices for proper planning,” revealed the governor.

He disclosed that the new country needs to know the human resources needs of South Sudanese who are working in the organisations.

Bakosoro called upon the NGOs to share information and feed the government with the areas of strength and areas of weakness so that the government can have back up to cement activities as one entity.

“Our financial year is starting in July so the state assembly will commence next week so that planning of the new budget can start for the next four,” he said.

Governor Bakosoro said there are other activities done by the NGOs which are already budgeted for by the government, therefore there is high need for the government to know the budgeted activities of the NGOs to avoid wastage of resources.

The coordinator of CAFORD a church non-governmental organisation working in the Catholic diocese of Tombura-Yambio Mr. James Mabu hailed the meeting saying such meetings should continue so that the partners can be directed for special coordination of activities.

He urged the state government to always send copies of the acts and regulations of the government on other activities before implementation so that the NGOs can brainstorm before running any activity based on the regulation and the acts.

(ST)