The Vice President responsible for the economic cluster has expressed dissatisfaction with senior officials from the Ministry of Environment for their opposition to the clearance and dredging of the Naam River in Unity State. This disagreement comes despite a cabinet resolution approving the project.
James Wani Igga responded to comments made by Africano Batel, the undersecretary at the Ministry of Environment. Batel stated that his ministry had not been informed or consulted regarding the Naam River clearance, which has been linked to flooding and significant displacements in Unity State.
Wani Igga emphasized the importance of unity within the government and criticized public dissent by stating, “We have repeated (the clearing of the river) many times by dates and by numbers, so it should not be a minister to come in public and say this was wrong or that the government is not aware. Which government now? The government is all of us.”
He further emphasized that decisions should be made through consensus and defended the importance of adhering to resolutions made by the cabinet.
Wani Igga advised officials who oppose the river clearance to consult with their colleagues before publicly expressing conflicting opinions about a cabinet resolution.
In recent years, the dredging and clearing of rivers, particularly the Naam River, have sparked public debate. President Salva Kiir suspended the planned dredging in July 2022 and called for feasibility studies to be conducted by the Ministry of Environment. However, the cabinet later approved the project in 2022, citing its importance in mitigating flooding in Unity State.
During South Sudan’s first-ever National Economic Conference in Juba, a heated debate between Unity State Governor Joseph Monytuil and University of Juba Vice Chancellor Prof. John Akech erupted over the Naam River clearance.
Prof. Akech questioned the motives of the Egyptian and Unity State governments in the river’s clearance and expressed concerns about the lack of clarity regarding the project’s purpose and environmental impact.
Governor Monytuil defended the clearance, citing the suffering of the people of Unity State due to flooding and the need to prioritize their well-being.
Vice President Wani sided with Governor Monytuil and called on those opposing the clearance to reconsider, emphasizing the historical context of river dredging and the importance of addressing the suffering of the people.
Wani acknowledged that if the Ministry of Water did not consult with the Ministry of Environment before initiating the river clearance, it was a mistake, but he defended the cabinet’s approval of the project.
