The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) and the UNMISS field office in Rumbek on Monday handed over the newly renovated Akon-Buoi Cultural Centre to the Lakes State government.
Daniel Laat Kon, CEPO’s coordinator in Lakes State told Radio Tamazuj that the center was revamped at the cost of USD 49,948 which was availed by the UNMISS field office in Rumbek.
“Akon-Buoi Cultural Centre is one of the projects that has been supported by partners and implemented by CEPO under the quick impact project with UNMISS support,” he said. “This hall was spoiled but we renovated it and replaced the doors, put a new ceiling, replaced the roof, fixed windows, painted it, and installed a razor wire fence.”
He said the center was revived to be used for cultural activities and exhibitions.
“Cultural exhibitions promote peace when different communities come together,” Laat added. “This center can also be used for community peace dialogues because the hall is one of the biggest in the Town.”
For his part, Rumbek Central County Commissioner Dut Manak said the center was one of the successful projects implemented during his tenure after the after construction of a primary school in Malek Payam.
“I am grateful to UNMISS for working for peace and doing this tremendous work. This is what partnership means to us. I recognize your goodwill and hope to do more with you for the welfare of society,” he said. “The challenges we are facing now include financial constraints which have created gaps in meeting some necessities. As you can see, we lack latrines and boreholes for Akon-Buoi Cultural Centre.”
Meanwhile, Lakes State Cabinet Affairs Minister Stephen Mathiang Deng, who is momentarily acting as the governor, appreciated UNMISS and CEPO for responding to the request of the Rumbek Central County commissioner to complete the center.
“It is not a renovation since the building was not completed and had no glass windows and other important things,” he said. “So, the current work on the building is a finishing. Our problem is management and this hall needs very serious care and has to be managed well.”
UNMISS’ head of the Rumbek field office, Kwame Dwamena Aboagye, said their role is to ensure that there is peace and that is why they contributed to the rehabilitation of the center’s hall.
“If I can refresh your memories, we have done the Deng Nhial Police Station, we also renovated the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) building and the State High Court sitting room among others and we are now in Akon-Buoi Hall. So, we are doing all this to assist and support the peace agreement and these are peace dividends,” he said. “We are promoting peace and I expect that the center that we are inaugurating now will be used for the purpose for which it has been established.”
Dwamena advised the authorities to manage the center well and ensure that the furniture is not misappropriated for private use in homes.
“The money we got for the renovation was small and could not do everything including the toilets so I have left that responsibility to the county commissioner to generate the revenue and start building the new ones,” he said.
The UNMISS official advised local artists, musicians, and actors to perform at the center to support the peace Governor Rin Tueny has ushered in Lakes Stare.