Juba, South Sudan
July 17, 2022 — South Sudan Minister of Information, Communication and Postal Service, Hon. Michael Makuei Lueth said dredging of rivers was there since he was a school boy and wonders of how this becomes an issue today.
In his remarks during public consultation organized at the Freedom Hall following the consultation the Juba University, he said dredging is about to clear sediments inside the river to allow free movement of water for smooth navigation of goods.
“.. To me dredging I know when I was school boy those days, when I was school boy dredging used to be done in all the rivers including this Juba Nabari”, Michael Makuei revealed.
“And by dredging is clearance of Nile from all obstacles that block navigation. This is how I came to understand it and it was being done ever since “, he explained.
Makuei, who doubles as government spokesman, said the dredging was stopped because of war during the time of Liberation struggle and since then it had never taken place and as result many river navigations stopped.
According to Makuei, now all boats stop at Magalla and soon they will be stopping in Bor due to lack of smooth navigation.
” This is how I understand the dredging and this is how I knew the importance of it especially when I last went to Bentiu to find that from Lakes No no movement of water up to Bentiu”, he emphasized.
He also cautioned the public to differentiate between dredging and excavation of Jonglei Canal.
“.. People should also differentiate the issue of dredging which we are talking about it here and excavation of Jonglei Canal which we have never tabled as government”, he clarified.
On 9th of July 2022, President Kiir ordered the suspension of dredging until credible, scientific and professional assessment is carried out by both local and international experts.
The order sparked mixed reactions nationwide with half supporting the order most of whom from Barh El Ghazal Region and other opposes it most of whom hail from Upper Nile Region, the most flood-affected Region in South Sudan.
