By Hou Akot Hou
The Governor of Warrap State, Bol Wek Agoth, has called on President Salva Kiir Mayardit to intensify efforts to address insecurity in the state.
Speaking during President Kiir’s visit to Kuajok on Saturday as part of his tour of the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region, Governor Agoth outlined key obstacles confronting his administration and appealed for stronger support from the national government.
“In a period of relative peace and stability, my government aims to transform Warrap State into a vibrant hub for culture, education, hospitality, tourism, construction, and real estate investment,” Agoth said.
However, he noted that the state continues to face serious challenges, including widespread poverty, mental health concerns, and insecurity.
“The state government continues to face challenges such as the high rate of poverty and mental health-related issues across our communities. There has also been a delay in deploying sufficient forces to effectively implement the state of emergency and the ongoing disarmament exercise,” he said.
The governor attributed much of the poverty in the state to recurring communal conflicts, which he said have claimed lives, displaced families, and disrupted economic activities.
“Widespread poverty caused by long-running communal conflicts has taken away the lives of innocent civilians and denied communities opportunities for development,” he added.
Agoth highlighted several achievements by his administration, including the rehabilitation of the highway linking Tonj South and Tonj East counties.
He said the project was undertaken in partnership with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and other development partners.
To improve security and economic development, the governor recommended that the national government support the completion of civilian disarmament, construct security roads across the state’s six counties, and invest in large-scale agricultural projects.
He further called for government support to promote modern farming of both food and cash crops as a means of improving livelihoods and reducing poverty.
In his address, President Kiir thanked residents of Kuajok for the warm reception and hospitality extended to him during his visit.
The president acknowledged the shortage of basic services in the area and assured residents that his administration was working to address their concerns.
He also encouraged citizens to engage in farming and food production instead of relying heavily on humanitarian assistance.
“People should go to the farms and produce food for themselves rather than depend on aid,” Kiir said.
The president also reminded the public that elections are approaching and urged citizens to pay attention to national developments.
Kuajok was the second stop on President Kiir’s tour of the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region. He is expected to continue his visit to Northern Bahr el Ghazal State in the coming days, according to his protocol team.
It remains to be seen how the national government will respond to the concerns raised by the governors of Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal, and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states regarding security, infrastructure, and development challenges.