A three days commissioners’ forum that has drawn county commissioners, state ministers, local government officers among others from across Eastern Equatoria State commenced in Torit town on Monday with calls for creating a conducive environment and good working relations with development partners while providing them with security across the state.
The commissioners’ forum aims at strengthening governance, rule of law, proper financial management, and revenue collection among others.
Addressing the county commissioners at the Dynamic Business Center in Torit, Governor Louis Lobong Lojore, who presided over the opening of the forum called on the different political parties to work together for the benefit of the people.
“You should create a conducive environment and working relations with our development partners and provide them with security in your respective counties,” Governor Lobong directed. “You must make use of our civil servants who are our technical advisors and you should refer to them for any administrative issues. I would like also to advise you that all conditional grants are meant for specific purposes and specific departments and should not be tampered with.”
He added: “I would like also to state that the budgets of the defunct counties which are now the headquarters of payams in your respective counties must continue to reach those Payams and be managed by the administrators in their respective centers.”
Speaking on behalf of the minister of local government and law enforcement, peacebuilding minister Marko Lokidor said the forum will look into the various roles and responsibilities of the local government personnel.
“This forum will look into various roles and responsibilities of the local government personnel starting from county commissioners, executive directors, chief executive officers, town clerks, and planners,” Minister Lokidor said. “Secondly, we shall be looking at governance and the rule of law, and thirdly, the issue of financial management and revenues to be collected by counties, to clear the confusions between other institutions collecting revenues in the state.”
For his part, UNMISS’ acting head of field office in Torit, Anthony Nwapa, said they are engaging government, especially the commissioners, to build durable peace amongst the communities.
“We are looking forward to engagements with you to build and sustain the successes that have been recorded during the governors’ forum and to push ahead to build durable peace in our communities and encourage women to participate in these initiatives because we believe that women have a prominent role to play to bring about peaceful coexistence within the communities,” Nwapa said.
The forum, under the theme; ‘Towards sustainable, democratic, and decentralized system of local government’, is organized by the ministry of local government and supported by UNMISS’ Civil Affairs Division.
Source: Radio Tamazuj