The Council of Ministers of Central Equatoria State has resolved to temporarily suspend an ongoing construction project by an investor over a disputed piece of land in Juba until the matter is resolved amicably.
This comes after the State Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Environment got embroiled in a land dispute with St. Barnaba’s Parish Church of the Episcopal Church in the Gabat area of Juba City.
Speaking to the media after the cabinet meeting, Jacob Aligo, the State Minister of Peacebuilding, said the council directed the Ministries of Housing, Land and Public Utilities, and that of Agriculture, Environment and Forestry, to present all legal documents related to the disputed land for review by the cabinet.
“Having discussed the memo, the council resolved to temporarily suspend ongoing construction work by an investor until the dispute is resolved amicably,” he said. “Secondly, the Minister of Housing, Lands and Public Utilities, and the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Forestry are to serve the council for ministers with the necessary legal documents regarding the same piece of land, and to submit it to the council for appropriate position.”
The cabinet also passed resolutions from the previous meeting with amendments, directing the relevant ministries to immediately implement them.
Land disputes have become so rampant in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, especially land grabbing, where some officials are accused of either grabbing church or other land, or obstructing legal processes.
In April last year, the administration of St. Stephen Parish Church accused Central Equatoria State of demolishing church buildings in an attempt to seize church land. Since then, the state government, through the leadership of Augustino Jadalla Wani, the former governor of Central Equatoria, formed a committee to investigate the issue. The committee has, however, never come out with a report.
On security, the cabinet received a briefing from a member of the State Security Committee, who reported that the general security situation in the state remains normal, with only isolated incidents recorded.
The council further commended security organs for ongoing operations against criminal groups, being carried out across counties to restore public order.