Immigration directorate Lakes state branch opening delayed

December 10, 2012 (RUMBEK) – The official opening of the Lakes state directorate of nationality and passports has been postponed due to administrative delays from the head office in Juba.

The state’s chief of migration and alien control, Riak Zechariah Mathen, on Monday told Catholic Good News Radio that the inaugural ceremony of the Directorate has been rescheduled to 14 December to allow Madout Parek, the director general of nationality and passports and his accompanying team to arrive in the state for the event.

Mathen added that the public will be invited to witness the historic event in the state.

Mathen explained that “we have a team who is coming from Juba, lead by general director for nationality and passports. […]He will open this directorate of Lakes state officially, so that is why we did not open on the opening today – so we hope when he comes, we will inform the entire people of Lakes state.”  

The presence of nationality and passports office in Rumbek is expected to reduce travel and accommodation expenses incurred by residents when Juba was the only issuance centre for the documents.

(ST)