The state government of Central Equatoria State is in the process of setting up a sugar processing firm in Terekeka County following the agreement with the Manapati Company.

The revelation came up during the council of ministers’ meeting where it was revealed that the state minister of agriculture and forestry should now take the matter to Vice President of the Economic Cluster Dr James Wani Igga for approval.

The Minister of Information and Communication, Dr Adraga Mabe Severio, the council resolved that the key ministry should take a lead and discuss the matter with the Presidency so that it can be tabled again in the state council of ministers for final decision.

He said the idea was mooted during the administration of Clement Wani and that the current government will just implement it.

 “The state government has agreed with a company in India called Manapati Company for sugar investment in one of the areas in Terekeka County. 

“The minister for agriculture is going to establish the line cluster of the Presidency,” Dr Mabe told The City Review yesterday.

“The governor is now in the process of implementation of the resolutions and recommendation of what they came up with in the last governor’s forum last month,” he added.

In the governors’ forum held last month, the governor of Eastern Equatoria State, Louis Lobong Lojore, revealed that the 10 governors and three chief administrators were ready to implement the resolutions that were passed during the governor’s forum for the development of the country.

Lobong said the national government should provide support for the implementation to serve the people effectively.

Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony of the Central Equatoria State also said that it was important for the national government to support them to deliver on their resolutions.

The recommendations the governors came up with included the construction of dams, canals, dykes and waterways to mitigate the effects of flooding in some parts of the states. They also recommended that an agricultural scheme should be revived because there are eight schemes in the country.

They include the Aweil Rice Scheme, the Nzara Complex, Mangala, and the Melut Sugar Scheme. Others are the Upper Talanga Tea Project in Torit, the Tobacco Plantation, and Watoka Coffee in Yei. The state bosses said the implementation of these projects would boost the economy.