Bentiu town, Unity state. Credit| Richard Nield

The governor of Unity State has appointed a woman as the first Mayor of Bentiu town in the revitalized state government.

Governor Joseph Nguen Monytuil last evening named Nyachek De-tuel as the head of the municipality to administer the capital of the oil-rich state.

Traditionally, mayors oversee the town’s main departments, including the police, fire, education, housing and transportation departments.

But it is not clear what role Nyachek De-tuel will perform, and whether Bentiu is now a municipality.

“She was working with the state government and that is why governor appointed her to be the Mayor of Bentiu town,” Choul Samuel, Director-General in the State Ministry of Information explained to Eye Radio.

“This is a positive step for the state government in regards to gender issues. It is also about implementing the 35 percent women representation in the SPLM.”

There are now two state capitals with Mayors appointed by the governors since last year.

They are Yambio and Bentiu.