Juba, South Sudan
June 8, 2022—In reference to the Mock-Up/counterfeit claim by Prof Akech , Peter Biar and the rest in the state of Confusion – concerning Naam River dredging – and Jonglei Canal recalibration
River Naam is in Unity state and Jonglei canal is in Jonglei state , condemning the stakeholders involved and dismissing the steps they have taken including sending threats about dredging of Naam River and Jonglei canal is a total despicable/dishonorable to our national integrity , in normal circumstances , national projects like this requires tender due diligent facts-finding before mixing yourself in some close proximity scenarios which later can results into many leading questions about someone sanity
Prof Akech is a well respected figure in our educational system and political landscape , given his vast experience and expertise in many fields , he could have taken a role of investigating exactly what is going on in this particular separate projects and what is the government stands in all of them , this are some of the important to substantiate informations to help you make a justifiable statement.
Prof Akech , IOM didn’t funded any dredging , or neither any project close to water opening or clearing , that mean for the purpose of our national interest we must always be careful and mindful about our national interest and cooperation with our international partners
Secondly the dredging project is a call from the communities affected by the massive flooding that have taken 95% of the land surface here in Unity state and until today the flood water is stagnant for almost a year without hushing off , making it very difficult for livelihood/residential/settlements , farming , animals grazing , developmental projects which include roads construction and many other visible projects our country can focus on.
People have been cut off from their ancestral homes and life , families lives in islands without any other thing to do , self reliability have been tested since there is nothing someone can do as people have been preoccupied by the flooding – sending out some negative psychological disorder among families
The status of River Naam today is at the level whereby you can’t even identify the depth and the plain ground since flood water have leveled up the entire state four angles quarters from South to the North , West and East , making it very difficult for existence, it is a huge surprise seeing our intellectuals minds literally in an untenanted style discuss issues of life and death without any prior informations which is a very important perquisite for a successful recommendation and findings
We applaud those who are here ready to help open up the clogged up Naam River and save it from the overgrown reeds , weeds and other water plants including the underwater silt/sediment which have seen the River bed shallow yearly
We believe this will help in many ways or advantageously to ease water movement and collections within the River-trunk ( the flood water collections and redirections) , transportation, fishing , birds breeding points and growth , animals improved husbandry as the water points will be accessible , tourisms , river’s conservation including the tributaries
So far , what we have here at home in unity state are plans on how we can redirect the flood water into the main Nile so that the displaced people are back to their homes and starts over again their lives which have been chattered by the severe flooding that totally displaced everyone and forcefully dislodge them to live everywhere across the state with their young ones and animals
Seeing our comrades throwing words yet they haven’t seen the magnitude of flood impacts is laughable and dishonoring , this could only be termed as hatred against the state projects which are meant to care for the life of our people which are severely vulnerable
River Naam dredging is the solutions for the flooding in unity state and it’s also the causation factor in the ongoing flooding as it can’t hold any water in its ground bed any more as it have clogged completely, making it to reduce in size everyday and every year , I can assures you in few years if the dredging isn’t done. ,River Naam will be no more or any other tributaries around the areas of Unity state , Warrap state , Awiel and Western Bara ghazal (wau)
So, please stop confusing the masses and start being realistically practical about the dredging, let us not use it for political campaign and gains rather as a state projects that will serve more people and save life’s ,However the necessary feasibility studies and additional historical facts about dredging should also be accepted to help understands more about our dredging and the future impacts (both positive and negative)
By Hon. Sultan Lam Tungwar Kueigwong
State Minister of Housing, Land and public Utilities
Chairman of Leek Community – Unity state – Bentiu –
