Governor Adil Seeks Legislative Action as New Year Begins

(JUBA) – The Governor of Central Equatoria State, Emmanuel Adil Anthony, has called for the swift resumption of sittings of the Revitalised State Transitional Legislative Assembly, following months of recess that have delayed debate and approval of key state laws.

Governor Adil made the call on Tuesday during a meeting with the leadership of the state assembly at the Central Equatoria State secretariat in Juba. The meeting was led by the Acting Speaker, Salam Alhaj Babala, and focused on practical steps to restart parliamentary business as soon as possible.

Members of the assembly told the governor that the prolonged recess had stalled consideration of important state bills and memoranda, limiting the legislature’s ability to address pressing public concerns. They said a prompt return to sittings was necessary to restore legislative oversight and support effective governance in the state.

Governor Adil emphasised the need for close cooperation between the executive and the legislature, noting that both arms of government have a shared responsibility to serve the people of Central Equatoria. He said joint efforts were essential to ensure that laws are passed, public issues debated, and government programmes properly scrutinised.

The governor also urged lawmakers to play an active role in engaging communities across their constituencies, particularly in raising awareness about the forthcoming elections. He said strong grassroots engagement would help build public confidence in the political process as the country moves closer to the polls.

Lawmakers present at the meeting expressed readiness to work collectively with the executive branch to resume parliamentary sittings without further delay. They pledged to prioritise the passage of pending legislation and to represent the views of their constituents once the assembly reconvenes.

The discussions on parliamentary resumption took place as part of broader efforts by the Central Equatoria State leadership to strengthen governance at the start of the new year. Observers say a functioning state parliament is critical for addressing policy gaps and ensuring accountability within the state administration.

In a separate engagement on the same day, Governor Adil also met staff at the state secretariat to discuss welfare issues and salary arrears. During that meeting, he encouraged civil servants to open bank accounts in line with national government guidelines to facilitate salary payments, though the administration stressed that restoring full legislative operations remains a priority.

Central Equatoria State Parliament Resumption