Northern Bahr El Ghazal takes over UNMISS assets as mission exits Aweil

AWEIL – The newly appointed Governor of Northern Bahr El Ghazal State, Charles Madut Akol, has formed a committee to coordinate the takeover and management of assets recently handed over by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to the state government.

The assets, officially transferred last week following UNMISS’s withdrawal from the state, include 20 vehicles, large electricity generators capable of supplying power to Aweil Town and its surrounding suburbs, fuel storage facilities, and other infrastructure installations.

Speaking to reporters, the State Minister of Information, Gabriel Deng Yel, said the governor on Thursday morning led an inspection visit to the former UNMISS site in Aweil. He was accompanied by members of the newly established committee, including line ministers and security officials tasked with overseeing and safeguarding the assets.

“We have inspected the site and all the equipment left behind by UNMISS,” Deng said. “The governor has formed a committee composed of ministers and security patrol forces who will monitor and manage these assets under his directive.”

He added that the team observed a wide range of facilities at the site, including 20 vehicles, approximately 300 shipping containers stored in a large warehouse, a fuel depot, fire extinguishers, and water and sewage treatment systems. Deng noted that if properly maintained, the water and sanitation facilities could significantly benefit residents living around the area.

With UNMISS now officially vacated from Northern Bahr El Ghazal, the handover has sparked mixed reactions among residents, many of whom are eager to see the site put to productive civilian use.

The compound is well known for its lush environment, particularly its large mango trees planted in the 1970s and 1980s during the prison administration era, giving the location a scenic appeal that locals believe should be preserved and utilised for public benefit.

Some residents have suggested transforming the site into an academic institution. Deng Peter, a local student aspiring to pursue higher education within the state, proposed that the government designate the former UNMISS compound as part of Northern Bahr El Ghazal State University.

“It would be very important if the government uses this site for the university,” he said. “If the incoming governor takes all factors into consideration, this location could solve the long-standing challenge of establishing a proper learning institution in the state.”

Northern Bahr El Ghazal has struggled for years to develop a functional state university, relying on fundraising initiatives that have yet to yield concrete results. Others, however, believe the site could serve as a permanent state secretariat to house government offices.

As authorities deliberate on the future of the compound, residents await a decision that will determine whether the former UNMISS base becomes a centre for education, governance, or another public service hub for the people of Northern Bahr El Ghazal.