The Jonglei state government and the Bor county government disagree over who has the rights to use construction equipment left behind by Eyat Company.
Eyat, a foreign construction firm with a long presence in South Sudan, left some trucks, excavators, and fuel tankers in Bor recently.
The state government claims that the equipment is now in its care, and anyone who wants to use the machinery can do so free of charge once they gain permission from Eyat’s office in Juba through the governor’s office in Bor.
But the Bor county government said that since the company was working in its territory, the county should be in charge of the leftover machinery.
“These assets must be for the county, but some people are working hard to take them away for their own personal use, but that will not happen,” a top county official told Radio Tamazuj on condition of anonymity.
In a recent rally, Governor John Kong said the machinery belongs to the state.
“I am seeing there are people who have taken some of the assets, and they are using them, but these assets here were given to the state government,” he said. “When Eyat decided to leave their machinery, they wrote a letter to my office, telling the office that they are not in need of the assets again, but if anyone wants to use them then a letter is written to my office and forwarded to them in Juba.”
Kong was referring to the usage of some trucks by state police personnel to carry food supplies to counties outside Bor town.
Radio Tamazuj was unable to reach the Eyat office for comment.