By Hou Akot Hou
New Northern Bahr El Ghazal Governor Charles Madut Akol urges citizens to unite and cooperate with his administration to collectively steer the state forward despite ongoing challenges.
Governor Madut said the challenges facing the state are many, and the first step toward addressing them is unity among the people.
He noted that one of the most pressing issues he has observed firsthand is the growing number of street children and widespread unemployment, which has forced many young people to leave their homes in search of work elsewhere.
“First thing, we need to have unity as people of Aweil. I have seen and heard a lot from people outside here saying that Aweil people are suffering and that the state is lagging behind in terms of poverty, underdevelopment, and illiteracy,” he noted.
“Of course, many of those claims are realistic or genuine. I have seen and witnessed that many children are on the streets because poverty is engulfing everyone,” said the governor.
“And if you move outside Aweil, such as going to Equatoria, you find many young men working in dangerous and lucrative jobs such as mining, like those in Jebel Iraq. These sites are not safe,” he added.
Governor Madut said such problems must be tackled head-on through leadership that views Aweil as a state belonging to all citizens living in it, including those who were not born there but reside within the state.
“We are known for harboring others with humility, and we have to carry on such spirit. All I want to emphasize is that all these challenges we have, including the economic meltdown that we are all going through, require cooperation from citizens and leaders of the Aweil community,” he cautioned.
Governor Akol pledged to work hard in the new year with a spirit of unity and cooperation to change the face of the state within his capacity.
Meanwhile, while addressing congregants at St. George Catholic Church in Aweil, the Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority, William Anyuon Kuol, promised to contribute some funds to the Catholic Church committee to help replenish church facilities, including the fence.
“I want to announce that, on behalf of the visiting government delegation from Juba accompanying the new Governor, we will pay what we have contributed to the committee entrusted with the collection,” he announced.
The church leaders concluded the prayers with appeals for forgiveness, as political leaders pledged to work with integrity.
It remains to be seen how the leaders will put things together as elections are slated to unfold in December 2026, despite skepticism from observers and analysts.