South Sudan state media censoring ‘anti-dredging’ views, says Prof. John Akec

JUBA – The Vice Chancellor of the University of Juba Professor John Akec has accused state-own South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) of censoring views that are opposing government initiative to dredging Nile River tributaries of weeds to enable water flow.

Akec is leading a section of citizens opposing the conduct of river dredging without the necessary feasibility study that he and his followers say should precede the plan of the government to dredge rivers of weed.

In a statement, Akec said SSBC has refused to stream or disseminate the public consultation that he organized at the University of Juba this week and also said that the state television failed to broadcast the halt by President Kiir of the initiative.

“South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation is a pro-dredging [and] has blocked advertising [of] the public consultation organized by [University of Juba] and has the freezing of the dredging by the President never made it into its news bulletin,” he said.

He said that the state television channel “Went off air when Prof. Taj Khazin was speaking at Freedom Hall.”