Category: National News

National News

Traffic personnel told to stop interrupting motorists

The Inspector General of Police warned traffic personnel against creating unnecessary checkpoints and topping motorists on the roads to allow the citizens to celebrate the festive season peacefully.

Lieutenant General Atem Marol Biar’s vehicles should only be stopped over “questionable nature or notes.”

He made the remarks while addressing the deployed joint operation force in Juba on Friday.

“As for the traffic police personnel, I told you not to stop vehicles on the street without a reason. You are only allowed to stop vehicles of questionable nature or notes, and this is done through consultation.

“Let the citizens celebrate in peace and reduce checkpoints.

“We are ready to provide protection and security for all citizens in the capital and the states during the holiday periods, and we will expand the process of deploying forces to reach Nimule, Yei, Trikaka, and the rest of the outskirts of the capital,” he said.

This week, the joint operation collected about 4,000 firearms including anti-aircraft machine guns and anti-personnel mines from the hands of civilians and military personnel.

The same week, the South Sudan National Police Service mobilized 3,000 security personnel to maintain law and order during the festive season

According to Interior Minister Angelina Teny, the joint force now must uphold their mandates of protecting the citizens and ensuring the country’s reputation.

” I collected weapons from the hands of people who were not authorized to carry them because the law assigns you this right to protect the country, the homeland, and its property.

She goes on to say, “You will go to do one job, which is to provide protection and security for the citizens because you are mandated according to the law to provide this service,” adding that “You are responsible for ensuring the country’s reputation.”

 

 

Companies, individuals possessing illicit gadgets ordered to surrender

The Joint Security Force has ordered companies and individuals having illicit communication and military equipment to hand over before the government goes after them for legal action.

The call comes after the security apparatus seized the communications devices from a private company during the recent disarmament exercise in the national capital, Juba.

Colonel Kaka Gabriel Roric who was the operation commander told the press yesterday that security personnel stormed a building of one of the local security companies in Juba and found unauthorized communications and military equipment.’

“During operations, we stormed one of the local security companies in Juba and found communications and military equipment that entered the country illegally and we transferred them to the Joint Operations headquarters, said Col. Gabriel.

According to Colonel Gabriel, the sophisticated devices including GPS systems, drones, and sniper rifles among others, entered the country illegally.

He said the devices were reportedly being used to monitor and collect information from any targeted location or people.

“These equipment were not authorized for private companies to possess, only government agencies. So, I order any companies or individuals who own such equipment to report it and hand it over to the government, or we will take legal action,” he said.

The security officer Gabriel warned security companies possessing such devices to hand them over to security.

Over 4,000 firearms, including an anti-aircraft machine gun by the Joint Security Force, were impounded during the five-day disbarment exercise to ensure a secure celebration of the festive season.

The weapons collected from civilians and members of organized forces include anti-aircraft machine guns, RPGs, PKMs, AK-47s, G3s, and pistols, among others.

 

 

 

 

Minister Morgan apologizes to diplomatic corps over Juba arms search

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has apologized to foreign heads of mission and UN agencies for inconveniences caused during the recent disarmament exercise in Juba City.

Minister Dr. Pitia Morgan made the remarks while briefing heads of diplomatic missions and UN agencies in Juba on Friday.

It’s not clear what concerns foreign missions in Juba raised regarding the five-day roads and house-to-house search in the national capital.

But the unannounced search caught many by surprise, prompting the SSPDF spokesperson General Lul Rua to apologize to non-governmental organizations over similar concerns.

Addressing foreign diplomats Dr. Morgan said if his ministry was aware of the exercise, it would have done what was supposed to be done.

“Unfortunately, the ministry wasn’t aware of it, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could have done what was supposed to be done but the intention was good, it’s about security, and every one of us living in this city to be protected, ” he said.

However, he said, although the intention of the search was good, the diplomatic community which is protected by international conventions, should always be respected.

“We in the diplomatic community believe that you are protected by international conventions and this immunity given to you should always be respected.”

According to Morgan, he protested the move but vowed such incidents will not happen again.

“It is also our apologies to you although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has protested on your behalf that this shouldn’t happened.

“Take it from us that this will not happen again, the government of South Sudan is responsible for your security and every person living in South Sudan’s territory,” he implored.

However, Morgan emphasized the government’s determination to collect arms from unauthorized individuals, to create a safe and secure environment for all, including the diplomatic community.

He reiterated the government’s commitment to fostering relations with all countries and advancing the interests of South Sudan while expressing his gratitude to all the foreign ambassadors and UN agencies’ representatives for their continuous support and cooperation.

Meanwhile, the Head of Mission of Sweden Ambassador Hilding Lundkvist called on the government to provide contacts for communication in case of any emergency.

“We encouraged the government to provide a number 24/7 for emergencies that any officers could call. we are calling on the director of the protocol number in case there is any emergency case we can be informed,” he appealed.

 

Ex-official Gatwech Kulang bounces back as RRC head

President Salva Kiir has appointed former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Peter Gatwech Kulang as head of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission.

This was through a Republican Decree read on the state-run TV, SSBC Friday evening.

Gatwech has replaced Manasseh Lomole Waya who was relieved in a similar decree announced on the SSBC on Friday.

Gatwech made the comeback to the Ministry after his relief from the role of undersecretary two years ago.

In a separate decree, Kiir relieved, Athieb Okech Ajang Ukech, the Peace and Security Advisor in Upper Nile State Government who hails from the SPLM party, and replaced him with Joakino Fideli.

President Kiir assents to Social Insurance Fund, Anti-Corruption Commission bills

President Salva  Kiir signed the National Social Insurance Fund Act, 2023, and the 2009 South Sudan Anti-Corruption Commission Act amended in 2023  into law.

The amended Anti-Corruption Commission Bill 2023  was enacted by the national parliament on October 5th

The Act is crucial in ensuring transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.

It has maintained the 5-year tenure of the Chairperson, Deputy, and Members of the Commission that is subject to renewal.

The law also mandated the anti-graft body to require constitutional post holders to declare their income, assets, and liabilities including those of their spouses and children.

Meanwhile, the the South Sudan Social Insurance Bill enacted on October 18th, guarantees that every employee, whether in the private sector, NGO, or government sector, is insured by a pension fund.

In a post on the official page, the Presidential Press Unit reported that the head of state assented to the Bills.

It cited that the National Social Insurance Fund Act, of 2023, establishes a national social insurance scheme designed to provide financial support to individuals during retirement, disability, and other challenging situations.

The act is expected to address the absence of a comprehensive social security system in South Sudan and offer essential assistance to the country’s workforce.

Meanwhile, the South Sudan Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2009 (Amendment) Act, 2023, introduces adjustments to the existing anti-corruption legislation.

Egypt seeks to revive dilapidated irrigation sites in Malakal

Upper Nile’s government and the National Ministry of Water and Irrigation have allocated land for the evacuation of households occupying an irrigation site in Malakal as the Egyptian government seeks to revive the scheme.

On Thursday, Governor James Odhok Oyay, the national Director General of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation met with Egyptian water officials to assess the rehabilitation of the dilapidated Al-Rai Al-Masry infrastructure.

The move is reportedly to reinforce the Bilateral Technical Cooperation between South Sudan and Egypt in water resource development.

The meeting is also said to signify a collaborative effort to enhance water resource management as stipulated in the cooperation agreement between the two countries.

In his remark on the state-run SSBC TV on Thursday, Mr Wol Gordon Tong who is the Director General of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation said they allocated a place for families that have been sheltering at the facility since 2013.

” We have allocated an area of 3 km to move the citizens living in Al-Rai Al-Masry to vacate the place. The citizens were aware that the Egyptian delegation was coming to take over the site,” he said.

Meanwhile, Egyptian Irrigation Official Eng. Hassan Salama Hassan said they came to Malakal to evaluate the facilities which abandoned in 2013 during the civil war to restore the irrigation scheme.

“We are today [Thursday] in Malakal to inspect and evaluate the facilities until we restore the mission working in the place.

” We sought to restore Egyptian irrigation in the city of Malakal that was before the events of 2013 and to provide services that were available before such as education, opening a clinic, as well as connecting electricity, he said.

The facility linked to the Egyptian permanent headquarters in Malakal, which included 64 rest houses, a building for the Nilometer, a river marina, an ice factory, maintenance workshops, small schools for teaching crafts, and a medical clinic that provided free treatment to citizens, was established during the reign of King Farouk which dated back to about 100 years ago.

Govt,Turkish company ink printing press deal

The Ministry of Information, Communication Technology, and Postal Services has signed a memorandum of understanding with a leading Turkish printing company for a printing press to help cater to the upcoming general elections.

In a post on its official Facebook page, the ministry said it entered the deal with the KORZA, a private company established in Ankara to invest in South Sudan.

The company manufactures a diverse range of printed products and offers various other services and printing solutions throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

The Printing Press according to the MOU, shall be financed and transferred to Juba by a third party under the private-public partnership with the South Sudan government, cited the statement.

The project is expected to commence after an assessment by both parties is done.

Mr. Yath Awan Yath, who is the undersecretary of the Minister of Information told the company to speed up the process saying; “The government is in a hurry to have a printing press in Juba to help cater for the upcoming general election.

 

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