By Lodu William Odiya
The Caretaker Governor of Central Equatoria State, Gen. Augustino Jadallah Wani, has reaffirmed his commitment to addressing land disputes and improving urban development during his 90-day interim tenure.
Governor Jadallah made the remarks on Monday during his visit to the Ministry of Housing, Lands, and Public Utilities as part of ongoing engagements with state ministries to familiarise himself with their operations, challenges, and priorities.
The governor was received by the ministry’s first director general, John Bullen, who congratulated him on his appointment and welcomed his engagement with the ministry.
“The Caretaker Governor reaffirmed his commitment to developing strategies to address land disputes and called on communities to work closely with the government to find lasting solutions to land-related conflicts,” the statement partly read.
Briefing the Caretaker Governor, Director General Bullen identified land grabbing as one of the major challenges affecting the ministry’s operations.
He said land grabbing has persisted for more than a decade, hindering the ministry’s efforts to survey, process, and allocate land to rightful owners.
Bullen also cited inadequate mobility and limited human resources as major constraints affecting the ministry’s capacity to effectively carry out its functions and provide public services.
He said addressing these challenges would strengthen the ministry’s ability to implement its mandate and improve service delivery to residents across the state.
For his part, Governor Jadallah emphasised the importance of the Ministry of Housing, Lands, and Public Utilities in supporting town planning and urban development in Central Equatoria.
He reaffirmed his commitment to developing strategies aimed at addressing land disputes and urged communities to work closely with the government to find lasting solutions to land-related conflicts.
Governor Jadallah further stressed the need for cooperation between government institutions and communities in promoting orderly urban development and responsible land management.
He said stronger collaboration would also contribute to improved public service delivery during his 90-day interim period.
The engagement with the Ministry of Housing, Lands, and Public Utilities forms part of the Caretaker Governor’s wider consultations with state institutions as he assesses key challenges and priorities across Central Equatoria State.