The government of South Sudan's proposed Western Nile State has passed a proposal to change the name of the state to Fashoda, with Kodok as it is capital.

This came in the state council of ministers which runs its activities from Juba.

In statement to Radio Tamazuj, the state information minster Angelo Garang said the state council of ministers in its meeting in its temporary office in Hai Jebel in Juba on Friday passed the proposal to change the state name from Western Nile to Fashoda.

He added that the council agreed to form three new counties Lelo, Wej Riek and Atwol Pie.

Meanwhile, a government source who preferred not to be named revealed efforts by prominent politicians from the area led by Deng Faraj, the former speaker of Upper Nile legislative assembly and George Amum the brother of Pagan Amum the former secretary-general of the ruling party SPLM to create a new state called Central Upper Nile State.

This was revealed in a meeting of community members of Makal County chaired by the Presidential Advisor on Legal Affairs Lawrence Korbandi in the presence of Western Nile state governor William Othon.

The source however said the meeting failed to determine the counties which the new state should have.

File photo: Boats at a port in Upper Nile (Radio Tamazuj)