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[Elisabeth Janaina]

Third Governors’ Forum kicks off in Juba

JUBA, 26 November 2013 (JUBA) – The annual South Sudan Governors’ forum has kicked off today in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. Official opened by South Sudan President H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit, the forum is being attended by the Vice President James Wani Igga, all the governors of the ten states, members of the Legislature, key ministers and development partners.

The four-day event is organized by the office of the president with support from UNDP and the theme of this year’s forum is “Transparent and Accountable Service Delivery for Local Development”.

 

Rizik Zakaria, the Governor of WBG (L) and senoir Government official getting set for the official opening of the third Governors' Forum.

 

Reviewing the acheivements and challenges facing service delivery, reviewing the progress made in the implementation of the resolutions and recommentations of the Second Governors' forum, focusing on priority areas for implemetnation of South Sudan development plan 2011-2013 and exploration of cross-cutting issues of a strategic nature across the country are the four major objectives the forum strives to achieve.

The first day of the forum will also witness the launch of the first South Sudan Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) status report.

“The MDGs status report is aimed at outlining the progress South Sudan has made to-date towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and at creating a basis for determining the necessary interventions or policies to achieve the MDGs”, UNDP stated in a statement.

The MDGs has been globally acclaimed as the most effective anti-poverty initiative and the success and challenges of the MDGs in South Sudan, so far, are a strong motivation for further progress to be achieved by 2015 and beyond, the statement added.

 

Since 2006, the Office of the President through the Directorate of Decentralization and Intergovernmental Relarions has been organizing a number of Governors' forums aimed at fast tracking service delivery.

Reported by Matata Safi
 

Foreign Affairs minister awarded Honorary Doctorate for peace & good governance

NAIROBI, KENYA 26 November 2013 (NASS) –South Sudan’s Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation minister, Hon Barnaba Marial Benjamin,has been awarded Honorary Doctorate of humane by the Kenyan College of Accountancy (KCA) in recognition of his role in promoting peace and good governance in the region.

 

In a colorful occasion held over the weekend, Hon Benjamin was selected out of twenty African leaders for the prestigious doctoral award after being found unique and exemplary leader, according to the University Council.

 

Chancellor Arthur Eshiwani handing the certificate to Dr. Benjamin
[Photo: (Martin Jada Gabriel]

 

KCA (Kenyan College of Accountancy) was established through the help of British council in 1989 to provide much needed skills in accountancy that both the Kenyan Government and the private sector required. Today forty percent of the Kenya’s accountants come from KCA.

 

Speaking after the award, Hon. Benjamin thanks the University for recognizing leaders from South Sudan saying such a spirit will make the region become stronger to face the challenge of this century.He also pleaded for the extension of similar university to the country to help address the accounting challenges that the young country is facing.

 

KCA Vice Chancellor Noah Midamba promised to establish a similar University In Bentiu of the Unity state and also promised to conduct trainings South Sudanese in the fields of energy to help address the issues of petroleum and mining management in the country.

 

He said plans are already underway in partnership with experts from Israel and Trinidad to develop capacity of South Sudanese in the oil industry.

Reported by Martin Jada Gabriel, News Agency of South Sudan (NASS)

“Payment of salaries a priority", Finance ministry

JUBA, 26 November 2013 - Despite recovering from an 18-month oil shutdown, the Ministry of Finance, Commerce, Investment and Economic Planning continues to prioritize payment of salaries to all Government spending agencies, a press release issued on Monday by the ministry stated.

October salaries are currently being disbursed and comprehensive measures are beeing taken to ensure revenues are available to cover November and December salaries.

 

Read more

 

Reported by Matata Safi

Juba Hospital to have undisrupted power supply, says Cabinet Affairs minister

JUBA, 26 November 2013 - Juba Teaching Hospital and other essential institutions will witness undisrupted power supply and clean drinking water for the next six months, a senior Government official has said.

While launching a power project in Juba over the weekend, Cabinet Affairs Minister Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro leading the sub-committee of the council of ministers said the government has secure 2million litres of diesel to provide much needed power to Juba Teaching Hospital and other essential institutions. The diesel is to be provided by NilePet

Dr. Lomuro said the Government and one of its development partners; Norway has embarked on fast trucking the Fula dams that would solve the country’s power challenges. He said electricity will be throughout the Christmas Eve.

Present also was the minister of Electricity and Dam Jemma Nunu Kumba. She reiterated Governments commitment to provide electricity and clean drinking water to the citizens despite the difficulties the country is going through.

 

Reported by Abdulrazig Juma Abdall

[Elisabeth Janaina]

Gov’t to closely work with private VTCs, says Public Service Underscretary

JUBA, 30 November 2013 - The government will work closely with private vocational training centres (VTCs) to ensure vocational training offered in the country meets international standards.

The Undersecretary for Labour in the national Ministry of Labour, Public Service and Human Resource Development, Madam Hellen Achiro Lotara, at the same time hailed private VTCs for complementing the efforts of the government in equipping the youth with skills to earn a livelihood.

 

Madam Hellen said the Ministry in collaboration with other stakeholders was working on a national vocational training policy which once approved would ensure that public and private vocational training institutions provide quality education to the youth.

 

“It is the duty of the Ministry of Labour and Public Service to regulate and provide guidelines for the operations of vocational training institutions. We are working with private VTCs in order to harmonise vocational training curricula in the country,” said Madam Hellen, adding that harmonisation would ensure that vocational training provided locally was recognised nationally and internationally.

 

The Undersecretary also urged development partners offering assistance to the Republic of South Sudan in the vocational training sector not to limit their efforts to public VTCs but to extend their support to private institutions as well.

 

Madam Hellen was speaking in the Ministry boardroom when she received a delegation from the St Vincent de Paul Society of England and Wales who had paid a courtesy call on her. The society runs the St Vincent de Paul vocational training at Lologo in Juba.

 

Noting that no government has the capacity to employ all jobseekers, the Undersecretary said livelihood skills gained from vocational training would enable the youth to either get into employment or create jobs for themselves.

 

The delegation which was led by Mr Ian Mawdsley from the UK and Dr Bertram Gordon, the Executive Manager of the Society’s projects in South Sudan, pleaded with the government to exempt training equipment and vehicles meant for vocational training institutions from being charged import duty.

 

They said the goal of the Society was to provide vocational training that responds to the needs of the labour market in the country, adding that vocational skills were the pillars of development in any country emerging from years of devastating conflict.

Reported by Simon Owaka