Morobo Commissioner Urges NGOs to Expand Projects to Rural Payams

(MOROBO COUNTY) – The Commissioner of Morobo County in Central Equatoria State, Joseph Mawa Okuba, has called on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to extend their development and project interventions to underserved and remote Bomas and Payams across the county.

Commissioner Mawa expressed concern that many NGO partners concentrate their activities within central Payams, leaving rural areas without access to essential services. He emphasized the need for better coordination between development partners and local authorities when designing and selecting project locations.

“Many partner organizations often confine themselves to one location, leaving the most vulnerable communities without essential services due to a lack of consultation with local government authorities in identifying intervention areas,” he said.

The Commissioner further noted that key decisions on project implementation are often made by teams based in Juba without conducting adequate field assessments, resulting in unequal distribution of services.

He recommended that NGOs expand their reach beyond headquarters to include other Payams such as Panyume, Wudabi, Lujule, Gulumbi, and Kimba.

Commissioner Mawa made the remarks on Monday during the opening of a four-day training workshop on trauma healing and peacebuilding organized by the national NGO Reconcile International.

In his address at the opening session, he urged participants to actively engage in the training and focus on gaining knowledge that can positively impact their communities, rather than attending merely for sitting allowances.

The workshop brought together participants from several Payams, including Panyume, Wudabi, Lujule, Gulumbi, and Kimba.