By James Innocent
The Emeritus Bishop of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS) Diocese of Yei has called on the government to allot land to churches in the county.
The bishop cited that the church plays a vital role in community development.
Speaking during a Thanksgiving service at St. Paul Parish Lizira on sunday, Rt. Rev. Hillary Adeba said providing land to churches with secure legal documents would strengthen their role in peacebuilding, education, health, and development.
“We want the government to provide enough land to the church and give proper land documents because the church plays a very crucial role in the society,” Bishop Adeba told the congregation.
He praised the leadership of St. Paul Parish for securing a land lease certificate from Yei River County authorities, describing it as a step that “has set the church free” and will allow it to grow spiritually and physically.
Church elder Oliver Gala thanked the Jonsuk community for supporting the process of acquiring land documents, adding that they secured parcel measures of 400 by 4,000 meters.
Morris Modi, head chief of Yei Town Payam, congratulated the parish for organizing the thanksgiving event, noting that many churches in the county still operate without official documents.
He emphasized that “land has become a big asset across South Sudan, and it is very important to process land documents early to avoid disputes.”
The County Director for Housing and Physical Infrastructure, Richard Lugala Godo, who has been appointed by the state government to handle land matters, also urged citizens to register their lands formally, warning that lack of documentation remains a source of conflict.
Yei River County Commissioner, Hon. Emmanuel Taban Seme, commended St. Paul Parish leadership for its “visionary decision” to register land with the government.
He further encouraged Christians to honor elders by allocating them land upon retirement.
In his closing remarks, Commissioner Taban advised church members to control their livestock, especially goats, during the farming season to prevent destruction of crops in nearby communities.