Some chiefs are violating the local government act by establishing institutions out of their boundaries, according to the Jubek state Minister of Local Government.
The Local Government Act of 2009 was established based on the principles of decentralized and democratic governance that demand the devolution of authority and power to the lowest government closest to the people.
According to the act, the territory of the local government council, which includes traditional chiefs, shall comprise all lands and areas that constitute Payams and Bomas.
It adds that the territory of each local government council shall be all the homelands for its residents within the respective community area which constitute the given council.
However, Jubek Minister of Local Government Isaac Ribek said some of the local leaders are selling plots of land out of their territories.
“They find an empty land and they start dividing. They bring their chairs and tables and start giving tokens,” he said.
He says this has brought conflicts with the local communities.
“We don’t want this to continue. Anyone who has the chief title needs to know there are chiefs of the administration,” he added.
Mr. Ribek adds that division of boundaries in the new states has also brought about some confusion:
“We need to address this issue because it is causing problems. For example in the areas of Luri and Gumbo, two or three people come and say that they are chiefs of the ten states when the ten states are no more.”
Mr. Ribek said the issue needs to be addressed urgently.