One-Day Consultative Workshop Concludes to Scrutinize Draft Land Policy in Juba

By Fuli Dickens

The Initiative for Peace Communication Association (IPCA) recently conducted a one-day workshop to scrutinize the draft land policy that was recently passed in Juba. The purpose of the workshop was to address land issues in South Sudan and review the draft before enactment into law by the parliament.

The workshop brought together national and state government officials, civil society organizations, chiefs from different areas, youth, and women to advocate for their rights in land ownership in the country.

In his opening remarks, Molona Cosmas Juma Tranpuilo, Director of Registers of Land in Juba Judiciary of South Sudan, emphasized the importance of putting the land policy into law to ensure that citizens have their rightful ownership of land. He urged NGOs, government bodies, and lawmakers to collaborate with chiefs and the Ministry of Land and Urban Development to support the document and empower women and youth to own land in South Sudan.

Director General of Land Administration and Town Planning in Central Equatoria State, Eng. John Wani Gaudensio, welcomed the voices of women and youth advocating for a proper land policy to combat land grabbing in the region. He encouraged individuals seeking land plots to apply through the ministry to prevent corruption within the state.

Member of Parliament in the National Legislative Assembly focusing on land policy, Hon. John Mayual Nguot, assured that efforts were underway to pass the land policy into law to protect against land grabbing in the country. He recommended that the first agenda when the parliament officially convenes should be to table the land policy for consideration, ensuring its passage as laws for the people of South Sudan.