Residents in Pakula Boma of Yei River County say they lack basic social services including a shortage of clean drinking water, education and healthcare centres.
Pakula Boma is one of the largest bomas of the county with a dense population engaged primarily in farming. The boma is east of Yei bordering Morobo, Kajo-Keji and Lainya counties.
Area Executive Chief Alfred Sebit says 90% of the population lack education services, health care centres, roads and clean drinking water facilities. He said that children in rural areas were left without schooling and people relied on traditional herbs for treatments.
Pregnant women give birth relying on the mercy of God and traditional birth attendants, he said. Sebit blamed the local government and its Relief and Rehabilitation Commission for failing to direct NGOs and civil society organisations to provide services in the area.
He called on the Government to urgently work hard and extend water, education, health and roads services to the rural population of Pakula Boma despite the economic challenges.
“We are just left without service delivery and my people in Pakula and Marju are drinking dirty water from running rivers. We are really in problems. Most of the NGOs in the county are not reaching us. People don’t want much from the government, but they need water, schools, clean roads and medicines,” he said.
The new governor of Yei River State earlier this year launched a 500-days development plan urging the local county commissioners and state ministers to work hard and deliver services to the people in the communities.
Lokonga threatened that any minister or county leader not working towards meeting the needs of the people will be sacked for “failing to deliver services.”