By James Innocent
Yei County commissioner has urged participants of a five-day training to use the skills gained to create more opportunities in their communities.
Emmanuel Taban Seme made the emphasis during closure of a training program for local government structures and community leaders.
Over 30 participants from various payams of in Yei River County, Central Equatoria State, participated in the training organised by GIZ.
Taban urged participants to take the knowledge gained seriously and to apply the skills effectively.
The commissioner encouraged community leaders to act as security advocates in their areas, as they are “the eyes of their communities.”
He highlighted the importance of understanding land policies, reminding leaders that land belongs to the community but its use is regulated by the government.
Taban advised them to planners within their communities and develop strategic plans to effectively utilize local resources.
Proscovia Amude, a participant in the training, expressed her gratitude for attending the workshop, which significantly enhanced her knowledge.
She noted that this was her first experience with such training and emphasized its importance for fostering development in the county.
She recommended that the county government empower local communities through agriculture to combat hunger.
Silas Matatiya, another participant, praised GIZ and government for the training, which was originally intended to last over a year but was condensed to five days.
He encouraged fellow participants to become ambassadors for change within their communities to promote grassroots transformation.
Matatiya also called on the government and GIZ to establish monitoring mechanisms to follow up with participants and ensure they achieve their goals.
Lokosa Aggrey, one of the county facilitators, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to facilitate the training, viewing it as a valuable use of county resources.
He urged participants to plan development projects in their respective areas.
Wani Banza, the Director for Peacebuilding and Planning in Yei County, noted that land issues have become a significant barrier to development.
He called on executive chiefs to mobilize and address land utilization challenges.
A representative from the GIZ office welcomed the commissioner of Yei River County to the training conclusion and praised the local government facilitators for their capability to build community capacity.
He mentioned that GIZ is partnering with local government to train community members as trainers of trainers (TOTs) to further enhance local skills.
“The participants play a crucial role in focusing on rural development and creating plans that can economically benefit the county through sustainability,” he concluded.