Central Equatoria official orders return of state assets
November 05, 2012 (MOROBO) – The Commissioner of Morobo County in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria State on Monday warned citizens in possession of missing government property to either return them or risk facing the law.
Moses Simon Soro issued the warning during a meeting he specifically convened to discuss issues affecting youth and women in the county.
The Commissioner’s remarks, hardly a month since he assumed office, reportedly arose after an official from South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC) in Morobo raised a complaint about missing items from government offices. These include a desktop computer, an an electrical power converter and a battery.
“The persons involved in the loss of the assets are well known and the Relief Rehabilitation Commission would like to make sure that the assets are returned in [in as a] good condition as [they were] taken,” Soro said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.
In a related development, a cashier attached to Morobo County headquarters has openly accused some unnamed officials of allegedly taking money under the pretext of maintaining office vehicles, but failed to account for it.
Other officials reportedly secured loans in the past, which they have not repaid to-date.
Meanwhile, a committee formed by the Commissioner to register all assets belonging to the County reportedly found about five solar panels, motorbikes and some computers missing from the headquarters.
The committee, headed by Ismail Tomeka, noted that the equipment, which were donated to the county, might have been taken by staff for personal use.
A number of suspects, according to the committee’s recommendations, have been identified awaiting further steps.
In recent months, Morobo, which is located about 35 km east of Yei River County, has been facing a leadership wrangle. Ofemi Ngota, the ex-Commissioner was given a vote of no confidence by councilors on 9 August 2012 during their quarter sitting, who questioned his leadership abilities.
According to the council speaker, James Kenyi, out of 24 councilors who attended the August sitting, 22 voted against the commissioner, one voted in his favour, while the other one abstained.
The new Commissioner, Moses Simon Soro, assumed office on 9 October.
(ST)