President Kiir suspends planned dredging of Rivers
President Salva Kiir has suspended, with immediate effect, the planned dredging of rivers.
The President instead directed that credible and independent environmental and social impact assessment be undertaken to find out the viability of such a project.
Kiir made the directed on Saturday, July 9, during the address too the nation on the Independence Day.
Pressure has been mounting from a section of citizens who are against a plan to dredge the Bahr el Ghazal Basin, especially Naam River, and resumption of construction of Jonglei Canal.
“In this debate, the contending sides have put forward legitimate arguments both for and against the dredging… having followed these arguments, I realised that we have not conducted any informed public consultations that address the concerns and fears of those groups.
”To allow our citizens participate in the process without emotions, I am, today, freezing any planned dredging activity in the Sudd ecosystem until credible, professional-based studies are carried out on the impact of dredging, both on the surrounding communities and the ecosystem,” he stated.
The idea to construct a canal was mooted in 1985 by the Egyptian Government to fast-track the flow of water from the Sudd Swamp to Sudan and Egypt.
Professor John Akec, who was among the activists against the dredging of rivers, termed the directive as a victory for and by the people of South Sudan.
“The People’s Parliament has won,” the Juba University Vice-Chancellor said.
President Kiir thus ordered relevant ministries – environment and Forestry to hire experts to carry out the study.
Joseph Africano Bartel, the Undersecretary, Ministry of Environment and Forestry said that his docket will undertake the tasks.
“The Ministry of Environment and Forestry will do the needful,” he said in a Tweet.
“We can now take solace on what science can advise us to do next,” said Dr. Majak D’Agoôt, the former Deputy Defense Minister.
D’Agoôt, a former political detainee at one point, served as South Sudan’s Intelligence Chief.
