Citizens in Ifwotu payam of Torit West County in Torit State said they have been lacking basic services such as health, education and clean water since the conflict extended to the state in 2016.
Speaking during a meeting with county authorities in Gunyoro Boma on Monday, the area paramount chief, Isaac Abud said fighting between the country’s warring forces destroyed civilians’ houses.
He urged the government to intervene. “Our cry is that services don’t reach us here because of this war. Our houses were burnt and since then, nobody came to our rescue to provide us with shelter. Drugs for children have just arrived to us here and these drugs are not enough. We want a PHCC [Primary Health Care Center] to help us,” said Abud.
He added, “We have enough resources here, but the management is very poor. I think there are some places where resources are used for development, but there is nothing like that here. There are many things here that we can use for ourselves, but the government has not come here to even see how we are living”.
The paramount chief further revealed that educational services are poor with unqualified teachers still pushing with learners in the area.
“Education is very poor. There are no qualified teachers. These are the same teachers we had since, but when will they be interchanged? In the past, teachers used to be interchanged. They transfer them and bring new ones and this helps balance education,” said Abud.
He said heavy rains will interrupt pupils who are studying under trees. “When you check an old school, it looks like it is not a school because if rains come, children will scatter. There is nothing good there. The school in Imokoru was destroyed by wind and the latrines were destroyed by enemies. We are crying so that the commissioner can know this,” he said.
For his part, the Torit West County commissioner, Lodoviko Oryem Albert equally acknowledged the suffering of the area population.
He said Monday’s meeting aimed at highlighting the challenges affecting the population to be forwarded to the relevant authorities.
“I am here as a commissioner because of you. Without you, working as a commissioner will become difficult for me. I have listened to your complaints, written them and I will forward them,” said Oryem.
“Some of them [complaints] will go to the parliament, some will go to organizations and some to the national government, according to your needs in the current situation,” he added.
Oryem urged the locals to work for peace to ensure service delivery.
Ifwotu payam is located about 5 kilometers northeast of Torit town.