The newly appointed commissioners in greater Pochalla area in South Sudan’s Boma State are preaching peace in their respective counties, several local residents said.

Addressing a crowd of citizens in Pochalla North County on Thursday, Yusif Omany, the newly appointed Commissioner of Adongo, called on local residents in greater Pochalla to embark on peaceful co-existence, while emphasizing the importance of allowing free movement between the newly created counties in the area.

The local official said that leadership is a God-given responsibility to serve people. “Leadership is not a joke or to show people that you are smart, but it is a responsibility, God will one day hold people accountable for it,” said Omany.

He pointed out that the local residents are free to live everywhere they want in the newly created five counties in the greater Pochalla area.  Omany appealed to the local residents to pray for the newly appointed commissioners in Boma State so that they can deliver services as they enter the New Year.

“We are conveying greetings of President Salva Kiir and Governor Baba Medan to you”, Omany said.

The newly appointed commissioner urged the local residents in his county not to flee to refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya. He also urged the residents to come back home to develop their county.

Omany was among about five commissioners appointed by Governor Baba Medan Konyi last month.