Melut County in Upper Nile State on Saturday presented its first-ever development report and launched a county magazine and the website from revenues received from the 3 percent oil share allocated to oil-producing areas.
The report highlighted the impact of the oil share revenue on the county and the latest economic, educational, and peace-building initiatives in the area as well as infrastructural growth.
Speaking during the launch in Juba, James Odok Oyai, Upper Nile State Governor said the state wants to embark on development projects following the footstep of Melut County.
“I want all the commissioners who have the 3 percent to take the example of the development of Melut, if they embark on such development, there will be real development in Upper Nile State,” he said. “Development is a dividend of peace and is part of unity among the people and in that, we want to support the commissioner to see that development should be seen from Melut up to Malakal because Malakal has been destroyed.”
Governor Odok urged all commissioners receiving the 3 percent oil revenue to use the money for development purposes.
He revealed that his government will prioritize security, peace, and development.
“Our main priority for me and my government of Upper Nile is security, without security, there is no development, without security there is no peace for the citizens living in Malakal and I want all the citizens of Upper Nile State especially the youth to work for peace among the civilians,” Odok reiterated.
For his part, Stephen Dhieu Dau, the Chairperson of Melut Community advised the county to provide periodic reports on development for accountability.
“This should not be the last presentation. We want it every time so that all of us should advise on how things should be put on the table so that we support the committee for the three percent and the commissioner to continue to be transparent to the stakeholders, to the public, and to the entire people of South Sudan, all the people of South Sudan should know what Melut is doing,” Dhieu said.
“I want to tell you the people of Melut that what you are doing should be an example to the other people, these developments that you are doing will act as an example to Upper Nile’s 12 counties. If others copy what you have done, it will be something very good,” he concluded.
According to the report, Melut’s 2040 vision is to transform the county into a modern county and promote socioeconomic development in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.