AWEIL – The Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Legislative Assembly has summoned the Minister of Local Government and the commissioners of the five counties to explain the increasing number of chiefs in the state, which lawmakers say is causing confusion and conflict at the local level.
The assembly’s move, announced on Monday, aims to address overlapping roles among traditional chiefs and prevent disputes arising from the creation of multiple leadership positions within the same administrative areas.
Speaking to this publication in a phone interview, Garang Deng Dut, Chairperson of the Assembly’s Information Committee, said the legislators want clarity on how chiefs are appointed and managed in the state.
“We summoned the minister and the commissioners to understand three key issues: first, the exact number of chiefs in the counties; second, the mechanism used in their appointment or enthronement; and third, to determine how many are on the payroll and what plans are in place for those who are not,” Dut explained.
He said the decision followed a motion raised by a lawmaker from Aweil North County, who reported widespread confusion caused by multiple chiefs performing similar duties in the same areas.
“After hearing the presentations from the minister and commissioners, it became evident that there is significant overlap in the roles of chiefs. We want to prevent this from escalating into conflicts,” Dut added.
In his response, the Minister of Local Government, Bol Akoon, acknowledged the problem and said many chiefs have been appointed outside the established legal framework.
“We have 1,868 chiefs across the state. Out of these, 614 are on the payroll while 1,263 are unpaid. This situation has created administrative disorder,” Akoon admitted. “We will work with the assembly to ensure no new chiefs are appointed until proper structures and criteria are put in place.”
According to the minister, Aweil North County has the highest number of chiefs with 525, followed by Aweil South with 394, Aweil East with 297, Aweil West with 239, and Aweil Centre with 213. Lawmakers expressed concern that some chiefs have created unauthorized boundaries and obstructed complainants from seeking justice in other local courts.
The assembly has directed the Ministry of Local Government to consult with payam administrators and report back in a follow-up session scheduled for next Monday.
Meanwhile, the state government has issued a directive suspending the creation of new chiefdoms or appointments unless clear administrative guidelines are followed.
The decision was announced in June 2025 by Governor Simon Ober Mawut in a bid to control the proliferation of chieftaincy roles and eliminate redundant chiefdoms across the state.
