Top religious leaders including Catholic Bishop Santo Laku Pio pose for a photo after meeting governor Augustino Jadalla on Tuesday|Courtesy

A group of religious leaders has reiterated a call on Central Equatoria State authorities to work together to address the pressing issues including insecurity that is affecting the communities and promote peace.

On Tuesday, five top clerics met with the Governor of Central Equatoria, Augustino Jadalla, in Juba where they discussed how the churches and state authorities can work collectively to promote peace and unity in the state.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Bishop Santo Loku Pio, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba, said there have been growing challenges as the number of people continues to increase in the state.

He cited the ongoing land grabbing and presence of herders as some of the causes of insecurity in the state.

“Central Equatoria State is the host state of the Republic of South Sudan with so many communities and so there are so many conflicts ranging from land grabbing to resettlement, lack of food and cattle destroying farms.”

The bishop went on to say these issues will require collective efforts to find amicable solutions to them.

“This will need our collective effort and that coming together will be able to find ways and solutions to some of the issues that are affecting our people,” he added.

In a related news, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Yei called for dialogue, saying it is the only means to addressing the grievances.

Meanwhile, speaking during a thanksgiving prayer in Yei over the weekend, Bishop Alex Lodiong similarly called for dialogue to address the problems of the state and the country as a whole.

“Let us go ahead with the heart of unity, with the heart of dialogue so that we are able to address our problems. There is no problem in this world that cannot be addressed.

“If anybody is having grievances, come so that people sit and talk about the issues my brothers and my sisters,” he said.