Forum Highlights in Yambio
The three-day Commissioners’ Forum convened at the Women Empowerment Center in Yambio offered Western Equatoria State a rare moment of collective stock-taking. County chiefs from all ten counties reviewed governance priorities, traded field lessons, and searched for a common language on development planning.
Acting governor Justin Joseph Marona closed the forum by framing commissioners as “front-line drivers” of Vision 2040, a roadmap he said draws inspiration from Agenda 2063 and South Sudan’s National Development Plan.
Linking Counties to National Vision
Marona reminded delegates that Vision 2040 seeks a peaceful, democratic, and inclusive South Sudan grounded in justice, equal rights, and sustainable growth. Achieving such breadth, he argued, hinges on synchronised county budgets, transparent procurement, and disciplined financial reporting.
He cautioned that fragmented programmes can delay roads, clinics, and farms, diluting public confidence. Commissioners agreed to share quarterly work-plans with Juba and Yambio to cut duplication and quicken approval cycles.
Land Governance and Investment
Land management dominated debates, with speakers underscoring clear demarcation between public, community, and private parcels. “Predictable tenure invites investors,” Marona stated, pointing to planned agro-industrial parks that need secure titles before financiers commit capital.
Commissioners pledged to record boundaries digitally and resolve customary disputes through joint panels of chiefs and surveyors, a move the Local Government Minister Alison Barnaba described as “quiet but transformative groundwork”.
Security and Service Delivery
Barnaba also linked county security to infrastructure. She urged closer coordination between police posts and health centres so that early warnings of conflict do not interrupt vaccination drives or maternal care.
The minister emphasised accountability, telling officials that timely audits and transparent recruitment underpin public trust. Her message echoed the wider call for “delivery first, politics later”.
Commissioners’ Commitments Ahead
Speaking for peers, Nzara County Commissioner Michael Ismail Medi labelled the forum “constructive and actionable.” He acknowledged resource gaps yet vowed to advance peace committees, mobile courts, and farmer cooperatives before the next review meeting.
Participants dispersed with a communiqué urging unity of purpose, proactive communication, and steadfast pursuit of Vision 2040, positioning Western Equatoria as a laboratory for South Sudan’s broader transformation agenda.