The Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Legislative Assembly resumed business on Monday after a five-month recess.
The reopening of the House also witnessed the swearing in of the newly appointed speaker, Abuk Jiel Dhieu, and eight other members from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) Party and the main opposition, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In-Opposition (SPLM-IO) Party.
The chairperson of the House’s information committee, Garang Kuol Mabior, told Radio Tamazuj that Governor Simon Uber Mawut presided over the function.
“The Parliament was reopened today (Monday), 11th August, in the presence of the governor who presided over the swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed speaker, Hon. Abuk Jiel Dhieu, and eight other members from the SPLM and SPLM-IO,” he said.
Some of the challenges reported by the legislators include inaccessible roads, lack of clean drinking water, and rising crime along the border of Sudan and South Sudan, especially at the entry points at Aweil East, Majok Yinhthiou, and Aweil North County.
For her part, Treza Achol Bilwan, an SPLM-IO Party lawmaker, said their interest is to serve the people and the country and address the problems faced by the people.
“We want to reflect the voices of the people so that they feel comfortable because we are the ones representing them through constituencies, and we are the ones to address their problems, and that is why we joined the government,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Peace Culture Association (PCA), Wek Garang, welcomed the resumption of parliamentary business and said it would help in resolving pressing issues in the state.
“We welcome the resumption of the state legislative assembly because it is the only body making laws, and it can assist in solving matters in the state,” he said.