Residents of Wau town in Western Bahr el Ghazal State are calling on the newly appointed governor, who arrived in Wau on Monday, to address the pressing challenges facing them.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, several local residents expressed their hopes for the new governor’s leadership, with a particular focus on development, service provision, and improvements in health, education, and infrastructure.
Akel Lual, a resident of Wau, emphasized the need for the governor to prioritize economic growth and public service delivery. “The governor’s statement is promising, but what we truly want is improved security, development, a stronger economy, and better education. He is welcome, and we hope he will meet the public’s needs,” said Akel.
Kamis Omer Juma, another resident, stressed the importance of security and infrastructure repairs, especially the internal roads, which he suggested could be funded through local revenue.
“The governor’s first priority should be to ensure security. Other challenges are universal, but cooperation is key. We also need improvements to internal roads. We have no means to fix them ourselves, so we need someone who will drive development,” Juma said.
Malith Bol Aken, another citizen, urged the governor to look beyond the town center and visit rural areas to better understand the issues facing those outside the city.
“The problem in Western Bahr el Ghazal is that previous governors have stayed in the town without reaching out to rural areas to see the real problems people face. The state isn’t just in the town, and the governor should also focus on the market and address issues like the fluctuation of the South Sudanese Pound,” Aken said.
Aken also highlighted concerns about the state of local infrastructure. “The internal roads were damaged by ARC company. The roads were fine before they arrived. The governor should also work for the youth, who are ready for jobs but have none available,” he added.
Moses Kiir, another resident, raised concerns about the limited availability of electricity and water in some parts of Wau. “While electricity and water are available in parts of the town, we in Wau West still do not have access, even though we are part of the same city,” Kiir said.
He also warned that the cattle-related issues during the months of December and January would need to be addressed. “Cattle issues always become a major challenge in the state, and this is something the governor will have to tackle in Wau West.”
Upon his arrival on Monday, the new governor, Emmanuel Primo Okello, addressed the public at Wau’s main stadium. He assured residents that his primary focus would be improving security and pledged to collaborate with the state’s security forces.