Tombura County Commissioner Babiro Charles Gbamis. [Gurtong/ Joseph Nashion]
By Joseph Nashion
YAMBIO, 18 June 2012 [Gurtong] – The County Commissioner Babiro Charles Gbamis told Gurtong that every household will pay 3 South Sudanese Pounds per month to support service delivery in the county.
“The collected tax will be used in provision of basic services to the community in the county because we cannot wait for the government in the state or at the national level to deliver all the necessities our people want”, he said.
He added that the county residents have already been informed of the new development at a public rally and in churches as well as through the traditional leaders at the Boma level.
The Commissioner explained that priority will be put on agricultural production through the purchase of seeds for distribution to organised farmers’ groups.
He added that the moneys will also be used to drill more boreholes to address the acute shortage of water in the county.
“The revenue will also be used to address the high maternal mortality rates in the county where at least between two and three out of ten babies die at child birth. Western Equatorial State has the highest mortality rate across South Sudan in latest reports released by the National Ministry of Health”, said Gbamis.
He added that part of the moneys will also be used to provide trainings to laboratory attendants to enhance their capacity.
Commissioner Gbamis said a committee comprising leaders from all Bomas will oversee the utilization of the revenue.