Parliament doesn’t know anything about planned dredging of rivers, Hon
The specialised committee on water resources in the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly (R-TNLA) is yet to receive the documents for the dredging project, the committee chairperson, Banguot Okiech said.
She made the statement during a public consultation on the dredging of rivers at the University of Juba yesterday.
The lawmaker argued that dredging would have grave impacts on aquatic life, leading to the drying of rivers and likely resulting in a severe drought.
“We are not aware, (because) the memorandum of understanding was done without the knowledge of the parliament.” Up to now, parliament has not received any documents that have been signed for this dredging,” she noted.
“The parliamentary committee on the environment summoned the minister, and we attended that meeting, and the minister answered, but, the question was around feasibility study, which kept the parliament from taking any decision.”
Banguot stressed that the committee was willing to deliver services to the people but dredging should not outshine the supply of drinking water to the people of South Sudan.
“As chairperson of water resources in the parliament, we need to give services to the people of South Sudan.” We need to connect the water network to provide drinking water to the people of South Sudan,” the committee chair argued.
“Since we know that we don’t have any reservoirs to save our water, our rivers are the ones feeding the groundwater.” So, I think dredging some of our rivers will affect the rain patterns and that will make us live in drought and the issue of water will come in before we give services to our people, it is unfair.”
She concluded that the committee was waiting for the minister for water resources and irrigation to be appointed so that the issue of dredging could be followed up. The post became vacant following the recent death Manawa Peter Gatkuoth, who died in Cairo, Egypt, after being flown for treatment.
The issue of dredging the Naam river has been controversial, with some disowning it while others are pushing for its implementation.
On Thursday, Salva Mathok Gengdit, a member of R-TNLA, said the security ministers should be summoned by the parliament to explain how the dredging machines entered the country.
“The situation needs to be addressed as quickly as possible to reduce the misinformation and give the correct message to the public,” said Gen. Mathok. He was weighing in on the thorny issue of the planned dredging of Jonglei Canal and Naam River.
Mathok claimed the military equipment had been found packed with the dredging machines but did not disclose his sources.
“Heavy machines and equipment to do the dredging are already in Unity State. I was informed by my sources that the whole equipment with containers was not allowed to be opened by customs officers for checking.
“The sources confirmed to me that some bulletproof vehicles are in that huge consignment.” It’s very suspicious,” Gen. Mathok said, without giving any proof.
However, some top politicians have been supporting the project, arguing it would ease water navigation between South Sudan and Sudan.
