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South Sudan

Three Jonglei counties being ignored says MP

February 4, 2012 (JUBA) - Jonglei state must deliver services effectively and equally across the conflict ravaged state, an MP in Jonglei State’s Legislative Assembly told Sudan Tribune.

Tuong Majok Deng MP, who represents Fangak North constituency number three, said that three counties of Jonglei state are being undermined by the state government in the way services are delivered.

He claimed that Fangak North, Pigi and Pachala counties are receiving less development projects than the other eight counties in the 2011 budget.

Deng said that people in Fangak North are still drinking contaminated water despite South Sudan governing itself since 2005 ad being independent since July 2011.

The Jonglei government has failed to provide water utilities, Deng said, despite the area being surrounded by rivers. Its location surrounded by rivers is one of the reasons Fangak has remained peaceful, while other counties have suffered from cattle raids and counter attacks in recent months.

However state authorities deny some states are receiving more investment than others.

People in Fangak have to drink from contaminated water from nearby swamps, he said, advising that the problem must be fixed before the next elections in a few years time.

The governor of Jonglei state Kuol Manyang Juuk said that insecurity across the state did not allow development program to be implemented by the executive across it 11 counties territories, denying that those three counties had been forgotten.

(ST)