The authorities in Aweil Center County in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State have issued a local order banning traditional leaders from selling large tracts of agricultural land without the consent of the county leadership.
Aweil Center County is rich in fertile agricultural land with many local investors acquiring land for farming and the authorities have introduced the policy to help minimize potential land-related disputes.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj at the weekend, Aweil Center County Commissioner Peter Natale Okech confirmed that the order was revived on 7 May in the Aweil Center County’s Headquarters, Aroyo.
“We have issued a local order banning any traditional authority from selling large pieces of land to new owners and if there is someone who wants land, the chiefs shall only allot them some small-scale land on a rental basis, but not selling,” he explained. “Those who intend to gain wide agricultural areas must come through the state Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and county leadership and they will be given operation contracts (license), but no one will claim that he or she bought a land from the chiefs.”
Okech revealed that violators will face legal measures because the property they are misusing belongs to the government which will introduce schemes for the development of the country.
Reacting to the county order, Chief Mawut Mojo who lives in Aroyo town in Aweil Center County, rubbished the order and said the community leaders have the power to control the use of land because they are important in developing the country.
“The land belongs to the communities which form the country and without a community, there is no government,” he stated.
A community member who preferred anonymity for fear of reprisals told this publication that he supports the rights of chiefs to control land.
“What we know is that surveyed land is under government control but land that is not surveyed is controlled by the chiefs because they are the ones who know the exact boundaries among communities,” he said. “It is only when such land is surveyed that the government takes the responsibility.”