New Upper Nile State Governor Calls for Unity

May 4 , 2010 (MALAKAL) — The newly - elected Upper Nile State Governor Simon Kun Puoch has called upon the state residents to unite in order to attain development. He said his new administration will recognise the rights of all state residents and called for their co-operation.

“Let us all work towards attaining peace, unity and prosperity in our state, just like I said during my campaigns”, he told the crowd at the SPLM secretariat at Hai Jalaa grounds last Thursday.

He urged the people to put the elections behind them and focus on development issues to uplift living standards in the state.

“We suffered enough during the civil war and as such we need to unite and tackle the development challenges we now face”, he said.

Puoch commended security forces for maintaining law and order during the polls.

He called for the co-operation of all political parties in the state as South Sudanese prepare for the referendum.

The Governor-elect called for the promotion of the interests of the marginalised groups, pointing out orphans, widows and the disabled as the neediest groups.

“We shall ensure that street children are removed from the towns and a body to take care of their welfare formed”, he said.

The immediate former Governor Dr William Othwon who was also in attendance urged the new administration to ensure competent Commissioners were appointed to help in the effective running of the government.

The celebrations rally was attended by hundreds of state residents, school pupils and students, various church groups and a number of high-ranking state officials.

Meanwhile, the newly-elected Unity State Government has pledged to improve service delivery to the state’s residents.

The State Government secretary General Ustaz Wang Mut Luony said all directors and heads of institutions will be expected to practice high professionalism in a bid to improve lives in the state.

“We want to work extremely hard to take the town to the people rather than the people to the town”, Wang told a directors’ meeting held soon after the announcement of the election results where the immediate former State Governor Brigadier Taban Deng Gai retained his seat.

Unity State is one of the South Sudanese states whose citizens are not satisfied with service delivery by the bloated civil service.

Last year several unclassified staffs were screened by the state authorities in a bid to improve service delivery.

There are also plans by the state administration to employ fresh graduates.