S. Sudan government pledges support for Youth activities in Western Equatoria

November 8, 2011 (KAMPALA) – South Sudan’s minister of culture, youth and sports, Cirino Hiteng, has pledged to support youth activities in Western Equatoria state, a press statement released by the governor’s office has said.

Hiteng had traveled to Yambio to attend the final football match of the governor’s cup tournament which kicked off on 20 October. This visit was his first to Western Equatoria since he was appointed as the minister of youth and sports a few weeks ago.

Over the weekend, Yambio county beat Mvolo county 5-2 to be crowned the champions of the governor’s cup tournament.

Addressing the players at Gbudue Stadium, Cirino hailed the efforts and the support of the state governor to facilitate youth activities in the state. He said with the standard of football seen in the state, Western Equatoria will contribute positively towards the building of the South Sudan’s National soccer team.

“We want to assure you that the national government through our ministry will support youth programs and sports in Western Equatoria state, and all the ten states of the South Sudan. Mr. Governor, I want to tell you that the rest of the states are going to follow, having seen your example,” he said.

The minister appealed to the governor and people of Yambio to give more space in this area so that the government can build sports activities in the state’s capital where all games can be played in one place.

“In our program, Yambio stadium is a priority among the ten states of south Sudan, we will work to upgrade it, you can see that after Juba you are the only stadium that will have flat light at night,” disclosed Cirino.

He said engaging youth in games will help them get united, and considering they are the majority there is high need to focus on their activities.

The undersecretary of the national ministry of culture youth and sports, Peter Baptist, appreciated the governor for putting his state as the second after Eastern Equatoria state to use its resources to organise inter-counties competition.

Baptist congratulated the girls team in the state after becoming second in the all East African Young Women Christian Association tournament in Tanzania.

Western Equatoria Girls team represented the whole of South Sudan in Tanzania in June this year and became the second.

Baptist stressed that one of the states that benefited from the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) Anniversaries was Western Equatoria, in spite of the fact that the period was too short but the government and people had put their hands together.

During the celebration of the fifth anniversary of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Yambio early 2010, Western Equatoria Girls’ team was crowned champions of the tournament.

The undersecretary said that in the event that South Sudan hosts a regional African competition, Yambio may be one of the venues, especially in football.

The state governor Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro said the reason of organising the tournament is to unite the youth of the state together so that they can love peace and harmony will prevail in the state.

Governor Bakosoro applauded the response of the national minister to officially attend and close the two week long tournament.

“Our minister, we are very happy and grateful for your presence here specially if the visit has fulfilled part of the 100 days I think you have achieved something, thank you very much and we are hoping that the promises you have made will be fulfilled so that this young people here can be able energise themselves and be the future of this nation,” said Bakosoro.

He encouraged the Minister not to forget the youth as the future generation of South Sudan. He urged him to look after them wholeheartedly, without any hesitation.

People from all the ten counties of the state converged in Yambio on the 20 October to participate in the governor’s cup tournament.

Yambio the host was crowed the champions after beating Ibba one of the newest counties of the State in the final by 5-2. The captain of Ibba county, Parakiti Tore said he was excited, despite losing to Yambio.

“In fact I don’t feel sad, because Ibba is a small county and we have managed to reach [the] final and we are very excited to reach final and be the number two in the governor’s tournament,” he said.

Meanwhile the captain of Yambio, Alison Sioni, said it was their pleasure as the host to win the game. He added that it is the first time for Yambio has such kind of tournament in the state. It was their training, he said, that helped them reach the final, adding that it was not easy.

(ST)