Juba County Targets Land Fraud With Digital Register

(JUBA, CENTRAL EQUATORIA) – Land registration in Juba County is set to move onto a digital platform in a reform drive to end multiple ownership claims and irregular transfers, the Commissioner of Juba County announced on Wednesday.

Hon. Eng. Samuel Emiliano Wani Pitia chaired a consultative meeting with the County Engineering Department at Juba County Headquarters.

He said a single format covering application, registration and transfer procedures will be adopted to curb land malpractices. He also directed engineers to recommend software solutions for the digitalisation programme and to centralise all new maps so they comply with approved land-use plans.

Hon. Eng. Wani Pitia told the meeting that the county is working to harmonise its Master Plan and build a unified database for the Engineering Department.

He said the database will improve data management and preserve institutional memory. He also stressed the need to formulate a County Engineering Policy to regulate professional conduct and guide the work of engineers across the county.

The Security Coordinator, Hon. Simon Muze, welcomed the initiative as a timely intervention. He said it will help reduce land-related disputes and improve security within the county. He called on all stakeholders to cooperate to ensure the reforms succeed.

The Executive Director of Juba County, Mr. Alfati Morgan, stressed the importance of following the chain of command when addressing challenges facing engineering services in the payams. He urged engineers to strengthen inspection mechanisms so that quality standards are maintained in building materials and construction works.

The Head of Engineers in Juba County, Eng. Simon Ladu Yugu, together with fellow engineers, commended the Commissioner for initiating the reforms.

They highlighted several challenges facing the department, including deployment procedures, a lack of unified fees across payams, inadequate regulation of GPS and data usage, and the need for stronger policy frameworks for engineering operations.

The engineers proposed the formation of County Town Planners to regulate urban planning, the creation of public open spaces within towns, stronger teamwork among engineers, improved town rate collection to boost county revenue, and protection for engineers against threats and intimidation while carrying out their duties.

The meeting ended with a collective commitment to support the digital transformation of land administration and to strengthen engineering services for development across Juba County.

The reforms are expected to cost several million South Sudanese Pounds. Final costs will depend on software procurement and implementation timelines.