Madhang Majok Meen, governor of the so-called Gok State, has issued an order appointing his deputy and cabinet ministers after spending several months carrying out consultations with communities and leaders in the area and at the national level in Juba.

According to the order which became public Wednesday, the governor named Kongor Deng Kongor his new deputy governor.

In another order, he appointed Samuel Wel Machiek, minister of local government and local enforcement agencies. Other officials appointed into various positions include Daniel Chol Koknyin as minister of finance, economic planning and public services.

Victoria Akur Mayor Machar will serve as minister of education and scientific research and Bishop Daniel Der Cangurak is appointed an advisor for peace and reconciliation while Joseph Maker Mathiang was named political advisor and Isaac Mayom Mayek Deng was named minister of health and environment.

John Marik Makur Lepiny was named minister of physical infrastructure. John Madol Panther Madol, a journalist with the state-owned South Sudan Television, has been appointed state minister of information, culture, youth and sports while Ater Amon will serve as secretary-general of the state government and William Manyuon Wantok as minister of agriculture and forestry.

The gubernatorial appointments leave no position reserved for the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), which the government signed a peace deal with in August 2015 agreeing to power-sharing at certain levels.

Gok State is one of 28 states created by President Salva Kiir by decree but challenged as unconstitutional by a coalition of opposition parties.

Monitors of the peace agreement have called the creation of the 28 states a “violation” of the peace agreement. Salva Kiir says the 28 states are the demand of the people.

Gok State comprises only Cueibet County with its capital at Cueibet.