S. Sudanese lawmakers approve 8 counties for new states

April 8, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan government and members of the Council of States have recommended that each of the 28 new states shall comprise of only eight counties.

The decision to limit the number of counties comes in the wake of the hard economic situation, which the world’s youngest nation currently faces.

Last month, however, the governors of the 28 states made request for new the counties, with the exception of Eastern Nile state. Some of the governors made demands for 16 counties, which were rejected on ground of high administrative costs.

The chairperson for the council of states urged members of the assembly to task each governor to explain why they came up with several counties, yet aware of the economy.

“We are looking at what criteria each of the 28 state governors might have taken as a decision on the matter,” he said on Friday.

The council of states, he said, will sit with authorities on the ground before the approval of states. Some are the new counties are already into administrative units.

(ST)