Yei Commissioner Urges Organisations to Give Local Youth Job Opportunities

Yei River County Commissioner Samuel Henry Malimbo has called on development partners operating in the county to give qualified local youth greater preference for jobs and volunteer roles, while warning organisations against bypassing local authorities and urging them to follow proper procedures.

Malimbo raised the issues during a meeting with a delegation from Stromme Foundation South Sudan, which visited the county leadership to discuss plans to support local schools through teacher training and other education services.

The visit follows an assessment by the state Ministry of General Education and Instruction that identified schools in Yei River County requiring additional support.

Malimbo welcomed the planned intervention but said development organisations must coordinate with county authorities and implement projects according to their approved plans and budgets.

He accused some partners of failing to fully deliver activities contained in their project plans, although he did not identify the organisations involved.

The commissioner also criticised what he described as a failure by some organisations to adequately involve county authorities in projects approved at the state or national level.

He said partners arriving in Yei from state-level offices should provide the county administration with full information about their activities to allow authorities to document, monitor and report on projects being implemented in the county.

Malimbo said stronger coordination is needed to prevent duplication and ensure interventions respond to local communities’ needs.

Unemployment and limited opportunities for graduates remain a major concern among young people in Yei, where development organisations are among the main providers of employment outside government.

The foundation’s Project Manager, Yuga Julious Ebam, led the delegation to the county leadership to discuss the planned education interventions.

Yei River County Council Speaker Claudia Milla said development partners play an important role in supporting communities but should not overlook qualified local residents when recruiting staff and volunteers.

At the state level, Central Equatoria Director General for Education Ustas Emmanuel Moga called for fairness and transparency in recruitment, urging organisations to avoid discrimination in selecting employees and volunteers.

Moga said development agencies should strengthen coordination with government and communities to ensure education programmes reach their intended beneficiaries.

He also urged organisations to recruit volunteers from the communities where they operate whenever possible.