31st March 2015
Good Afternoon, it’s1 o’clock I’m Suzan Dokolo
The Headlines
- Police steps up deployment along Juba-Yei and Juba-Mundri roads.
- Central Equatoria State government officials urged to declare their wealth.
AND
- Committee formed to investigate Terekeka cattle raid.
Police has deployed patrols along the Juba-Yei and Juba-Mundri roads, after reports of increased insecurity along the routes.
Central Equatoria State Police commissioner, Maj Gen Hendry Danima says security is being stepped up after Police noted an increase in highway robberies targeting busses and commuters along the two roads.
In Juba, Major General Henry Danima says a joint force of Police, soldiers and security agents is tracking down criminal elements targeting boda-boda riders.
He says in the last three days, 2 motorbikes have been stolen from riders in the Munuki and Gumbo areas.
He says Police is working closely with the boda-boda riders association to ensure only licensed riders are on the road.
The Central Equatoria State anti-corruption commission is enforcing a constitutional requirement for all state officials to declare their wealth.
The commission is handing out forms to public officials including the State Governor, Ministers and chairpersons of state commissions - as well as county officials from grades 1 to 5.
The officials are required to list their assets and declare their property and money sources.
Chairperson of the state anti-corruption commission, Emmanuel Khamis says all information will be kept confidential, and is part of the process of transparent accountability.
Khamis says the officials have 30 days to submit their declarations.
Clip……………..Khamis1
‘The law requires that from the date of receipt of the form you have 30 days to ensure the form is duly filled and returned to the commission. As we speak now, we already have details of some of the income, assets and liabilities of the categories mentioned, so the intention of this process is only to verify and if you don’t declare you actually contravene article 115 of the transitional constitution of the state, so there are measures that are activated there clearly. Number two, we are going to announce the names of those who have actually undertaken this constitutional process and we are also going to announce names of those who have defaulted and we are also going to issue certificates of compliance to each of every individual who has responded and acted in conformity with the constitution”.
The business community says a lack of hard currency on the market is making it increasingly difficult for them to operate.
The businesspeople say they are failing to secure dollars from commercial banks to purchase commodities, while the exchange rate on the black market remains high.
Chairperson of the Uganda community in South Sudan, Tibo Brahan Obiga says many Ugandan traders have been forced to close their businesses.
Clip……………………….Brahan Obiga 2
“Yeah, right now even if you go to your traditional bankers where you save your money, when you ask for dollars, they will tell you they do not have dollars. Much as you continue banking with them, they will keep telling you they do not have dollars. So we manage that challenge by going to the black market. Of course we do not seem to understand where the people in the black market get dollars from, most of our brothers and sisters have closed their businesses, while others have gone back to their respective countries. Some few of us who are trying to struggle with the business it is because we have a very strong clientele base and we you cannot simply close like that”.
The Ministry of finance recently said the economy is suffering as a result of the crisis.
By Tuesday, the exchange rate of the pound against the US dollar had reached 7.5.
The government has been called on to ensure proper management of water resources.
UN Children’s organsiation UNICEF estimates that 30% of the country’s water points are not functioning because of improper management.
Speaking at a national event to mark world water day in Juba, UNICEF program officer in charge of the Water and Sanitation Program, Lilian Okwiry noted that communities are also not aware of the importance of using water responsibly.
At the sane function, the Undersecretary for the water sector in the Ministry of Water Resources, Isaac Liable said the ministry is working on policies to guide the population in using water sustainably in the areas of agricultural production, power generation and tourism.
Clip …………… Isaac Liable 3
“We are set as a sector to trigger the critical mass to move towards development using water as a vehicle for development in agriculture production, in hydro power generation, in aqua- tourism in a number of sectors, we can use water for sustainable development it is the vehicle for sustainable development because it is water that is the renewable resource and water will use land and land is also stable resource, so if you managed them in a conservative way then you can have a sustainable production and you will have sustainable production and you will sustainable economic development and you will have a well based development of your country”
A committee has been formed to look into a recent cattle raid in Terekeka County of Central Equatoria State.
More than 50 head of cattle were stolen last week from a camp in Tali payam.
The payam administrator, Ezekiel Elly is urging communities in Tali not to seek revenge.
Clip…………… Ezekiel Elly 4
“My people are patient we talked to them so that they cannot go revenge or also go and make the same thing bring cow from the other side we don’t want that one because the government has intervene. There is a committee formed to tackle all this problem ,we have this previous incident which happened, killing of ten people from my area and that side it happen also one person was killed.”
The payam administrator is also urging the government to speed up the construction of roads to help improve security in the area.
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The government of Western Bahr el Ghazal State is importing commodities to address the scarcity of food items in markets.
Food is being brought in from neighboring Uganda and will be distributed to government employees at subsidized prices.
The items will be channeled through government ministries and public offices up to county level.
Radio Miraya reported yesterday that markets in Wau were experiencing shortages because of a scarcity of dollars and closure of the main trade route that is used to bring in commodities from Sudan.
In a separate development, the Ministry of commerce in Western Bahr el Ghazal is training local vendors on how to manage their businesses.
The State Minister for commerce, James Ernest says the training is meant to empower the traders with skills on how to run businesses that are often ran by foreigners.
Clip……………..James Ernest5
“ I have opened a workshop with one hundred and ninety five persons to strengthen private sectors, supported by World Bank. The workshop will continue for five days and through it, our traders will be donated little amount. We are working to empower local traders so as to control the market, because failure to control the market leads to the reason for high prices. We have communicated with some companies in Uganda, if it delays, it must be due to the distance of the road. Our citizens will get food supply from the ministries”.
Still in Western Bahr el Ghazal, a new office block has been opened at Pian-Tok Co-education Basic School, located along the eastern bank of the Jur River.
The block includes four administration offices and a library worth 46-thousand US dollars.
It was constructed by Kenyan Peacekeepers of the United Nations Mission. Acting mayor of Wau town, Santino Manut acknowledged the UN Mission’s contributing in supporting education.
Clip …..… Santino Manut6
“You the UN representative have worked with us a lot in assisting South Sudan. Thank you for your concern in which you did constructed the office for Pian-Tok school teachers. I tell you that I have a request, we want to widen girls education, thus I want you to open secondary school for girls in Eastern Bank, this will encourage girls education”.
UNMISS Acting State Coordinator for Western Bahr Ghazal; Mustapha Tejan-Kella reiterated the Mission’s continued support for development projects. He urged the state ministry of education and the community of the school to ensure the new building is maintained.
A measles vaccination is being planned for the Protection of Civilian site in Unity State.
It targets all children under the age of 15 years and comes after 2 cases were reported within the protection site.
The campaign will be conducted by UN Children’s organsiation UNICEF and the World Health Organisation.
Okot Joseph Okwera, a consultant with UNICEF says the exercise begins on Tuesday and will last 4 days.
He says they are hoping to vaccinate up to 35-thousand children.
Clip…………………..Joseph Okwera 7
“In upcoming we are trying to target thirty five thousand children below fifteen, our main communication now to our parents and our guardians is that they need to support this exercise they need to get their children all get immunized so that the children get protection from this disease”
The UN protection site in Bentiu currently hosts up to 52-thousand IDPs.
And in foreign news, Nigeria has a new President. Muhammadu Buhari beat incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in a tightly contested race.
The 72 year old ex-military ruler from Northern Nigeria beat Gooodluck Jonathan by more than 2.5 million votes.
Jonathan has conceded defeat and wished his rival well.
This is the first time in history Nigeria has witnessed a democratic handover of power to an elected ruler.
To end the news, here are the headlines once again.
- Police steps up deployment along Juba-Yei and Juba-Mundri roads.
- Central Equatoria State government officials urged to declare their wealth.
AND
- Committee formed to investigate Terekeka cattle raid.
Radio Miraya News!
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