By Correspondent

The Central Equatoria State Security Committee announced on Tuesday that it is seeking to review the ban on checkpoints within the state.

In a statement to the media following a meeting of the committee chaired by Governor Augustino Jadalla in Juba, Leon Abi Brown, the state’s Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement Agencies, explained that the decision to remove the checkpoints needs to be reviewed due to problems in its implementation.

He added, “The ban on checkpoints has led to errors in its implementation, and the original order stipulated that illegal checkpoints should be dismantled, but legal checkpoints, which were designated under constitutional orders, should remain.”

He explained that legal checkpoints – such as those used to collect revenues between counties, boms and payams – are essential for good governance, but said the implementation of the ban was flawed, leading to the removal of all checkpoints, including those legally in place.

He stated that “the ban on checkpoints has led to problems in controlling local revenue collection.”

It complicates the movement of goods and people between counties, making it difficult to monitor what goes in and out.

The security committee also concluded that this flaw needs to be addressed so that the Bomat, Payam and counties can continue to effectively operate their checkpoints.”

Abiy also highlighted the growing problem of criminal gangs, known as “niggers,” and stressed the need for increased vigilance by security forces to combat these groups.

He stressed that “this issue has become both persistent and complex, requiring security agencies to remain on high alert.”

It is worth noting that in March 2021, the Central Equatoria State government directed the relevant authorities to remove illegal checkpoints along roads from Juba to other counties in the state, with the aim of boosting trade in all six counties of the state.