By: David Philip Baguru | Voice of Hope Radio – Wau
Internally displaced people living in Momoi Boma of Wau County, Western Bahr el Ghazal State, are demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in the distribution of cash assistance intended for elderly people and persons with disabilities.
The displaced residents, who fled from Western Equatoria State, say individuals who were not listed as beneficiaries allegedly collected part of the money during a distribution exercise on the 16th of this month.
Marko Lidia, one of the affected residents, said the incident occurred after 21 elderly beneficiaries had already received their payments. He questioned how people who were not among the intended recipients managed to access the assistance.
He also acknowledged previous support from Solidarity South Sudan, including the provision of hand pumps and construction of toilets at the settlement.
Meanwhile, Perina Richard Ujang, the settlement’s youth secretary, said community representatives had approached the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) seeking clarification on the incident.
She questioned what action the government, the RRC and Solidarity South Sudan would take to address the concerns, adding that residents were still waiting for an official response.
Momoi Boma Chief Anthony Mongu Ali Marjan confirmed that beneficiary cards had been issued to intended recipients before the distribution. He alleged that some individuals collected money meant for vulnerable residents and called for intervention to support displaced families facing hunger and shortages of basic necessities.
The Deputy Chairperson of the Western Bahr el Ghazal State Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, Samuel Julio Dangba, confirmed that representatives of the settlement had visited the commission to present their concerns.
Dangba acknowledged the difficult conditions facing the displaced community and appealed to humanitarian organisations to provide urgent assistance.
Voice of Hope Radio contacted Solidarity South Sudan for comment on the reported incident but had not received a response by the time of broadcast.
The displaced residents are calling on the state government, through the RRC, to investigate the reported irregularities and ensure that vulnerable people receive the assistance intended for them.