Finance Training Opens for County Officials in Yei

(YEI RIVER COUNTY) – A two day financial management training for local government officials has opened in Yei River County, with the aim of strengthening public finance systems, budget management and improving service delivery at the county level.

The training began on January 14, 2026, and is organised by the Central Equatoria State government with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency. It has brought together more than 35 revenue and finance officers from across Yei River County.

The Commissioner of Yei River County, Emmanuel Taban Seme, attended the opening session and praised the organisers for launching the capacity building programme. He said the training is expected to provide county officials with practical skills to address challenges in financial management and improve accountability in public service.

Mr Seme urged officials responsible for public funds to take the training seriously, stressing that higher professional standards are essential for effective governance and better use of limited resources.

He also reminded participants to remain alert about their personal security, referring to incidents reported in 2025 in which some local government officials were kidnapped while carrying out their duties.

Speaking during the session, Akonj James Adwok, the coordinator of the JICA project team, said the main goal of the training is to strengthen skills in budget preparation, financial management, and reporting.

Mr Adwok explained that the programme targets key county staff, including officers from planning departments and the controller of accounts, to support timely budget preparation and the proper keeping of financial records.

He added that strong reporting systems are important for transparency and for building trust between local authorities, communities, and development partners.

Mr Adwok said JICA remains committed to supporting local governments in South Sudan. He noted that some of the facilitators previously received similar training in Japan and are now sharing their experience locally to help build lasting skills at the grassroots level.

The training is fully funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency as part of its wider support to improve public financial management in local government institutions across South Sudan.