President Salva Kiir shakes hands with Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi Akol during the swearing-in ceremony at the State House in Juba. Photo credit: Office of the President.

President Salva Kiir has ordered institutions under the Service Cluster to step up the delivery of basic services to improve the livelihoods of citizens, saying service delivery must remain the central focus of government policy and action.

The directive was issued during the swearing-in ceremony of Hussein Abdelbagi Akol as the new Vice President for the Service Cluster, according to a statement from the Office of the President.

Abdelbagi was appointed last evening through a presidential decree, replacing former Vice President Josephin Joseph Lagu, who was dismissed in a similar manner.

President Kiir instructed Abdelbagi to undertake comprehensive reforms to strengthen institutional performance and ensure more efficient service delivery across the country.

In his remarks, Vice President Abdelbagi pledged to work closely with all ministries under the cluster to improve access to quality services and respond effectively to the needs of the population.

The Service Cluster supervises key ministries, including the Ministries of General Education and Instruction, Higher Education, Science and Technology, and Health, among others.