Residents of Morobo County in South Sudan’s Yei River State have urged their new commissioner to prioritize the delivery of basic social services to returnees in the area.
Charles Asega, the area headman, told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that over 8,000 people who left Morobo for Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have returned, but lack basic services.
He said residents in the county still lack access to clean drinking water, education, health care facilities and market centers.
“We want the commissioner to open for us a health facility because we are suffering without access to drugs. Secondly, we want markets to be reopened so that we begin businesses here,” said Asega.
Mokili Wilson, a resident, said over 5,000 school pupils cannot study due to lack of teachers.
“What we want is the rehabilitation of our schools, employment of more teachers and delivery of school materials,” said Mokili.
He added, “Secondly, the rainy season is coming, we want the commissioner to lobby NGOs to deliver seeds and farm implements for us to go into farming”.
Meanwhile, the commissioner, Dada Paulino vowed to prioritize basic service delivery and unite people for peaceful co-existence.
“I have come to work for people of Morobo. I will not stay in Yei or Koboko. I will ensure that I work with the chiefs, the women, youth and everybody to make Morobo a better place for all of us,” he stressed.
Morobo is one of the counties in the state that was badly affected by the country’s civil war.