Western Bahr El Ghazal State is commissioned to come up with eight new counties following the President’s approval last month.
The state had only three counties despite being the second largest after Jonglei.Western Bahr El Ghazal State Secretary General Livio Gelego Bahara told Voice of Hope that President Salva Kiir Mayardit wrote a letter suggesting the formation of eight new counties in addition to the three existing ones.
He said the proposal allocated three new counties in Wau, three in River Jur and two in Raja making a total of 11 counties in Western Bahr El Ghazal state.
Mr Gelego explained that the committees for the county formation had already been set to define the eight counties, their names, proposed headquarters and maps to send to the President’s Office in Juba.
He added that the committee was asked to take note of the economic viability of each new county.
Mr Gelego revealed that Wau will be made a municipal state town, a decision which was opposed by the people in January saying they were not consulted.
He called on residents not to quarrel over the new counties but agree on the places for the headquarters since the division was part of John Garang’s vision to take the towns to the villages.
Mr Gelego contested the view that Western Bahr El-Ghazal is a vast land with few people calling it a contradiction.
He added that the population of Western Bahr El-Ghazal is increasing with the arrival of returnees from the Sudan.