At least 92 police officers were promoted to different ranks in Western Equatoria State on Monday.
Speaking during the promotion ceremony at the police headquarters in Yambio, the state Police Commissioner Major General Issain Girisi said the promotions were overdue.
“The total number of officers who got promotion in Western Equatoria State as a whole is 92 police officers. This has not happened in the state before. We want to thank our boss, Gen. James Mande who raised the complaint, and also the Minister of Interior and the President of the Republic of South Sudan," he said.
Gen. Girisi added, “Mr. Governor the police in the state raised the request for the promotion three times, the first we failed, second we failed and thirdly we insisted that we have to succeed."
Meanwhile, the Governor of Western Equatoria State Hon. Alfred Futuyo Karaba called on police officers who had abandoned the training sites to return and continue with training until they are graduated.
“One thing we need to do which was in the agreement, in Western Equatoria we need 14,000 private officers of police so that we can work with them, so we have to recruit new police officers. I am not saying so that people will say the governor is doing mobilization no. It is there in the agreement and that is why we want those police who were here to report back to camp," he said.
Richard Elia Box, the state minister of local government and law enforcement, urged the policemen to act per the law especially during arrests saying their main mandate is to protect civilians.
Angelina Gisto, one of the officers who were promoted, expressed her joy.
"As a woman today who got a promotion, I want to tell all the police officers that they should not abandon the profession but remain patient as I did. You should also go back to school," she advises.