Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Dokolo, Babra Akech, has called for unity and cooperation between political leaders and civil servants in Bata Sub-County, warning that divisions and disagreements among leaders could undermine service delivery and development.
Akech made the call on Monday during a consultative meeting organised by the Office of the RDC in Atabu Village, Atabu Parish, Bata Sub-County, which brought together Local Council I and II leaders, Parish Chiefs and other political leaders from six parishes.
The meeting attracted leaders from Bardege, Atabu, Barlela, Alapata, Apenyo and Ochero parishes.
Addressing the leaders, Akech emphasised that teamwork between politicians and civil servants is essential for effective service delivery, noting that development cannot be achieved in an environment characterised by disagreements and divisionism.
She urged leaders to put aside their differences, respect one another and work collectively towards the development of their communities.
Akech also challenged civil servants to maintain good working relationships with political leaders, saying elected leaders play an important role in facilitating their work.
Her remarks followed concerns raised by local leaders over what they described as deteriorating working relationships between politicians and civil servants in the sub-county.
Kakson Ager, LC I Chairperson of Bardege Village and Chairperson of LC I Chairpersons in Bata Sub-County, appealed to civil servants to reunite with political leaders, describing their cooperation as critical in implementing government budgets and development programmes.
Ager cautioned against what he termed baseless allegations being levelled against some civil servants by politicians, arguing that some individuals were making accusations for political reasons despite the absence of an election campaign period.
Similarly, Bata Sub-County LC III Chairperson Ojok Alex said the working relationship between politicians and civil servants had been relatively smooth until October, when disagreements and allegations of corruption reportedly began affecting teamwork.
Ojok expressed concern that continued accusations against civil servants were discouraging some of them from performing their duties effectively.
He particularly pointed to the District Councillor representing Bata Sub-County, Hon. Edward Okuk Oluma, accusing him of repeatedly reporting some civil servants over alleged corruption in government programmes.
However, responding to the concerns, Okuk defended his actions, saying his efforts were aimed at fighting corruption and ensuring that government programmes benefit their intended beneficiaries.
He pledged to continue pursuing accountability and fighting corruption, insisting that the fight against misuse of public resources should not be interpreted as personal or political hostility.
The meeting provided a platform for leaders to discuss their working relationships, address emerging tensions and find common ground on improving coordination in the implementation of government programmes.