Authorities in Kapoeta North County in Eastern Equatoria State have issued an order banning the operation of bars and the sale of alcohol during working hours.

The order came into effect on Monday and is open-ended.

The commissioner of Kapoeta North County, Emmanuel Ephone Lolimo, said the order is a government policy to increase productivity and aims at fighting alcoholism in the community. 

“I issued an order regarding the banning of alcohol sales during working days and hours from Monday to Friday and allowing bars to open after work at around 4:30 pm. This order is in line with the government policy to ensure that there is productivity by the civil servants and they should be engaged in work and also ensuring that they should be healthy citizens,” Commissioner Ephone said. 

He said he has directed all the security agencies to implement the order.

“Since citizens are consuming a lot of alcohol which is not good for their health, I thought issuing this order will minimize this. It will encourage civil servants to go to work because most of them have abandoned their work and they are engaged in drinking,” Ephone said.

Major Pio Obol Marino, the police inspector in the county, said his forces are following the order to ensure nobody violates it.

“Yes, there is an order. As for me, I have supplied all the papers because during working hours this thing (drinking) is not needed. We will not pour away the alcohol but people can drink in the evening. This is in order not to spoil the work of the government. We have agreed with the commissioner that the whole responsibility is mine,” Maj. Obol said.

A member of the national assembly representing Kapoeta North County, Cyprian Peter, appreciated Commissioner Ephone for his hard work and urged the communities to support the government to ensure stability in the area.

“My message to my people is that they have to cooperate with the commissioner, to implement his orders. We need our citizens to understand that this order is for their benefit because frequent and too much drinking of alcohol is hazardous,” Cyprian said.