By Aweye Teddy Onam
First female mayor of Juba City Council (JCC), H.W. Flora Gabriel Modi, officially assumed office yesterday with a promise to do her best.
H.W. Flora said that it is a privilege for women to take over the challenge.
“I’m so impressed, and there are lots of things that I’m going to do so that I can stand firm for the women of South Sudan and, at the same time, Central Equatoria State,” she said.
Mayor Flora also called for cooperation from all the local government officers and the chief executive officer (CEO), including everybody who is going to work under her administration.
“We have a mandate, city council, and I’m going to pick from where my predecessor stopped. Personally, I want to work with my deputies,” she noted.
The mayor promised to work together with her deputies in harmony, transparency, and accountability.
“We should have a heart of working together and staying together, because whatever you do as offices, as officials of the local government or my deputies, we are having the mandate of the state government,” said Flora.
“I want peace and harmony, and I want it to work well, or I want it to be committed to my state government because we are not alone,” she underscored.
Mrs. Flora said they have come to mean business, saying they come to work, not to show off, adding that she is going to try her level best with the team at JCC and the local government so that we take the state ahead.
“We are not coming here to show off. If not because of time, we wanted to go outside to start the work today because we have to do it,” she expressed.
Wayi Godwill Edward, the state minister of Cabinet Affairs, who also spoke on the governor’s behalf, officiated the ceremony welcoming into office the new mayor, H.W. Flora.
He said Juba City Council has been having a series of transitions, and there are mayors who came and went not because they were bad but because they tried their best.
The minister noted that this is a chance for a female mayor with a new team.
“We have to thank His Excellency the Governor for recognizing the strength given to women because they are peacemakers,” said Godwill.