The Governor of Western Bahr-el-Ghazal State Sarah Cleto Rial has appealed to media institutions in South Sudan to be impartial in covering national affairs.
In reference to the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, Cleto said media coverage has been in favour of one party, which the country has known since the war of liberation.
“The media should be impartial and am referring to the activities of the transitional period. I know South Sudan has been a one-party state for a long time and the media might have been siding with that system but now there are so many political parties and the media should be impartial,” she said.
Cleto said there was a lot that needed to be done as South Sudan undergoes a transitional process adding that the role of media was crucial in that journey.
“I have mentioned earlier about the media siding with other parties. Sometimes you may not feel it but maybe because it’s part of your work but you are actually doing injustice to other parties. So, I would reiterate that journalists should be impartial,” she emphasized.
She said female journalists facing challenges all females in all fraternities are facing challenges that are meant to discourage them from doing their work, Governor Rial says females should not give up.
The governor also told the media to respect the official arrangement of her names and title and stop mixing up her address at all times.
“Another thing I want to mention is the mentioning of my name. I appreciate all my colleagues, my official name is Sarah Cleto Rial and I have several times on SSBC sent messages that my name is Sarah Cleto Rial but I see here Sarah Hassen Rial, Sarah and is being mixed up. So, for officials and for the press, please make sure you address me as Sarah Cleto Rial and all the titles included of course,” she said.
The governor was speaking in Wau during the commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day Celebration in Western Bahr- Al – Gazal State on 03rd May 2022.
