(PIBOR TOWN, GPAA) – The first County Commissioners Forum of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area ended on Thursday after three days of discussions on security, infrastructure and service delivery challenges facing the seven counties.
The forum, chaired by Chief Administrator Gola Boyoi Gola, brought together all county commissioners, Paramount Chiefs, civil society groups and GPAA ministers. Participants said the meeting offered a rare opportunity for all counties to jointly identify problems and propose practical steps to improve stability and development across the area.
The forum was held under the theme Strengthening Local Administration and Resolving GPAA Challenges Through Dialogue and Partnership. Officials said this approach was needed because counties continue to face serious concerns such as insecurity, limited infrastructure, poor access to services and a shortage of basic government facilities.
Participants agreed on several resolutions aimed at improving the situation on the ground. These include the deployment of organised forces in known hotspots to reduce cattle raiding and the abduction of women and children. They also called for the construction and rehabilitation of road networks to link the counties, along with the introduction of land master plans for county headquarters.
County leaders said that schools and health facilities remain limited in many areas and urged the administration to expand access to basic services. They also recommended new peace dialogue programmes to encourage cooperation between communities, especially in counties affected by recurrent conflict.
A proposal was also made for a dedicated task force to focus on the recovery of abducted children and women, together with special courts to handle related cases.
In his remarks, Chief Administrator Gola Boyoi said the Pibor Pochalla road should be treated as a priority because transport remains a major challenge for communities and traders. He also called for the construction of a standard prison in Pibor and said the installation of communication network towers in Pochalla and Lekuangole would help improve security and coordination.
He explained the source of the approved 16.1 billion South Sudanese Pounds budget for GPAA. At the current exchange rate of 1 USD to 7,100 SSP, the amount equals about 2.27 million USD. He said the revenue will come from landing fees, personal income tax, cattle revenue and market taxes.
Gola Boyoi closed the forum by urging the national government, the GPAA administration, county authorities, Paramount Chiefs and development partners to work together to ensure that the resolutions agreed at the forum are fully implemented.
Main Resolutions of the GPAA County Commissioners Forum
| Priority Area | Resolution |
|---|---|
| Security | Deploy organised forces in hotspots to reduce crime and abductions |
| Infrastructure | Build and repair road networks and prepare land plans for county headquarters |
| Social Services | Construct schools and health facilities across all counties |
| Peace Building | Start peace dialogue programmes between neighbouring communities |
| Protection | Form task force to recover abducted women and children and create special courts |
| Administration | Improve GPAA revenue management and clarify budget sources |