President Kiir, Vice Presidents and State Governors attend the 5th Governors Forum. | Photo: PPU.

Some South Sudanese citizens have encouraged governors and chief administrators to discuss challenges facing them the country and prioritize peace, infrastructure and agriculture in their upcoming forum in Juba.

They said the recommendations of the 8^th governor’s forum should be implemented in letter and spirit.

The Office of the President, in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), have been organizing the annual governors forums in Juba to foster national cohesion and transition the country to democratic governance.

Last month, a civil society activist called on the presidency to include evaluation of resolutions from previous Governors’ Forums in the upcoming one scheduled for November 2024.

CEPO Executive Director Edmond Yakani said that conducting the 8th Governors’ Forum without reviewing the performance of the governors and chief administrators would be, as he terms it, a “political tourism space” for the state leaders.

According to Yakani, the majority of state governors and chief administrators have not implemented the resolutions and recommendations of last year’s Governors’ Forum.

Commenting on the upcoming forum, some members of the public called on the event to demonstrate government’s commitment in improving the living conditions of the citizens.

David Magok, a resident of Wau said the country is facing multiple crises that remain unaddressed despite an endless list of recommendations in the past forums.

“My request to the governors, please tell the President or to the Presidency that in South Sudan there is insecurity, and the solution to this is to implement the agreement,” he said, on Eye Radio’s Dawn Show.

“Let them tell the President that the country is in hunger, people are dying of hunger, pay the civil servants who are working with the government, rescue the situation of those who are in water in Upper Nile. This is supposed to be their report.”

“Let them say that the hospitals don’t have medicine, including schools are being shut down and the universities. Let them say that the Tumaini agreement should be signed, whether the rest like it or not.”

Juba resident Franco Sebit said inter-state border disputes and inter-communal violence should be the center of the discussion during the forum.

“Problems of borders among states and tribal conflicts should be addressed during the governors’ forum, my message to them, let them be an exemplary leaders in the country by resolving those issues.”

“We as citizens hope that the resolutions of the forum should not just be on the paper, they should be implemented in letter and spirit, this can unite people to live in one country and one nation.”

On his part, Joseph from Munuki, called on the forum to prioritize addressing insecurity in all parts of the country. He added that the event should also have an agenda on involving hold out groups in lasting peace in the country.

“Let them come here and talk on the way forward to settle the security at the grass root level, bring in other hold out groups and implementing the peace agreement in letter and spirit,” he stated.”

“Even in one month if people are in peace and there is a report from the grass root that there is no attack from one community against the other, later on when the come here, the governors’ forum will be appreciated by the public. Let them hear us, and let them be appreciated by the public.”

Deng Diing is a resident of Wau town in Western Bahr el Ghazal state. He urged the governors to address the high prices of commodities in the market, through removal of check points and abolish taxing essential goods in the market.

“Please go and implement things to do with economy, people of South Sudan are suffering all over the country, essential goods, let the South Sudanese be able to buy salt in a cheap price, let them be able to buy sugar in a cheap price.”

“Let them be able to buy maize flour in a cheap price, poor people, let them be able to buy. Tax any other non-essential goods, but don’t tax essential goods because people are suffering.”

Tong Aluet, another resident of Wau called on governors to revive the agricultural projects to improve the living conditions.

“Let them revive agricultural sectors and projects. When they come back to the states, security should be improved and ensure good conditions of roads in the states, counties, payams and bomas.”

“The governors, they always come back to states and start saying we met H.E. President Kiir, ohhh, and they don’t implement what they say, they spoil the words His Excellency.”

On her part, Mama Mary, a resident of Gudele in Juba said the governors should prioritize health, education and roads during the forum.

“We hope some positive will come out from this forum in South Sudan, the governors should speak the truth about issues affecting them in the states.”

“They should talk about development and prosperity. Our roads are bad, poor education system, lack of health services in the states, I urge all of them to address those issues.”