A senior civil servant in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State has assured citizens that public order will be maintained in the area until the transitional government is formed.

President Salva Kiir on Saturday made a key compromise by cutting the 32 states back down to the original 10 -- a key opposition demand -- to pave the way for a transitional government of national unity.

Kiir also included on top of the 10 states, three administrative areas of Ruweng, Abyei and greater Pibor. He then sacked the governors of all 32 states and relegated the authority of the state governments to secretaries-general pending the formation of the unity government. 

Dominic Kang, the secretary general of the defunct Aweil State, told Radio Tamazuj on Sunday that peace and security will be maintained in the area.

The top civil servant welcomed the president’s decision to revoke the 32 states and vowed to closely work with security agents to ensure security is maintained before a unity government is formed.

“As it has been decreed by Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, I want to assure the people of greater Northern Bahr el Ghazal of their safety. We are respecting our constitution and laws that we passed in the 2008 Constitution of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State. We should abide by it as people of greater Northern Bahr el Ghazal State,” he explained.

Kang urged security forces to monitor threats against citizens and protect government properties in all the area.

President Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar are under pressure to urgently implement the move to a transitional government before the expiration of the February 22 deadline.