The gathering is aimed at creating strategies to improve service delivery and tackle pressing challenges facing the state’s citizens. Among the issues expected to dominate discussions are food insecurity, rising incidents of crime, and ongoing disputes linked to traditional leadership structures.
Opening the summit, Governor Simon Ober Mawut emphasised the urgency of addressing the hardships confronting communities. He noted that ordinary people continue to struggle with both human insecurity and hunger, with residents frequently exposed to killings, robberies, and theft along major roads.
“I would like to open this forum for five days to allow you to deliberate on key issues such as insecurity—particularly thefts and robberies along the way—and food insecurity, so that we bring forward solutions that can protect our people from such tragedies,” Governor Mawut said.
The governor also cautioned against the unchecked creation of traditional chieftaincies, warning that such practices undermine unity among communities. “I would like to seize this opportunity to remind county commissioners, executive directors, and all paramount chiefs that the ongoing random creation of traditional chiefs must come to an end,” he stressed.
Mawut further noted that internal boundary disputes remain unresolved, but insisted that service delivery must take precedence. “Disputes over internal boundaries will be addressed at the right time. For now, the priority is delivering services to the people,” he added.
The governor urged participants to pay close attention to the challenges discussed during the summit and develop practical recommendations.
However, questions remain over whether the resolutions of the forum can be implemented, given the state’s limited financial capacity. Many civil servants in Northern Bahr el Ghazal reportedly go months without receiving their salaries, a situation that has hampered the effectiveness of government institutions.
