By Taban Gabriel
King News 12th September Juba – The government of central Equatoria State has categorically dismissed “assertions” that it’s responsible for the water crisis that has rocked Juba for a couple of months due to an upsurge in prices.
While responding to a summon by the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) on Wednesday, the State Governor of Central Equatoria Augustino Jadalla Wani, who was in the company of other high-profile state officials, said the national government is responsible for water management in Juba City.
“Honorable Speaker and Honorable members, the state has limited responsibility when it comes to the management of water services in Juba County. What the state does is support the South Sudan Urban Water Corporation in crisis and disputes management when it arises and resolve the impulses altogether” Jadalla said
Governor Jadalla stated that, while the Urban water Corporation(SSUWC),an institution affiliated to the National Ministry of Water and irrigation that manages water affairs in South Sudan, the Juba City Council and Juba County issues operations licenses respectfully.
The governor blamed the national government for stripping the state of its “Previous” powers to manage water issues and “lack of respect to the policies” but advised that water be considered “a national security issue.”
“When the then transitional government of Southern Sudan was formed in 2005, the management of public utilities, such as electricity and water facilities, were taken from the then Bahr El Jebel State, which is currently Central Equatoria State, by the national government, in 2006 after the establishment of the Southern Sudan Urban Corporation, the National government took over the management of water and electricity from the state” he narrated.
“Article 48 of the transitional constitution of the Republic of South Sudan as amended, talks of devolution of powers. Article 49 talks about inter-governmental linkages. The two articles talked of respecting powers delegated to the state, which has not been observed. Water policy of 2007, chapter 4, articles 4,3,8 states that the national government should shift from direct implementation to regulation, facilitation, and coordination of water issues, meaning it is supposed to develop the overall water policies, strategic framework, and guidance,” he added
In response to the statements made by Governor Jadalla, the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Pal Mai Deng, admitted that his Ministry is the main custodian for water production and distribution in “Some of the states.”
“I say in some of the states because some States have got no water system,” he interjected
Minister Pal said his ministry doesn’t have control over what he described as “Blue Tankers” that ferry water in Juba “Because they are private businesses.”
“I think I have to be very clear; South Sudan Urban Water Corporation sets the prices for water, at which owners of blue tankers come and buy. This is the first price and the second price. The owners of blue tankers go and charge every consumer after taking from South Sudan Urban Water Corporation,” he clarified.
Pal denied his institution’s involvement over taxes levied on water trucks, but instead attributed it to Central Equatoria State government.
“For your information, South Sudan Urban Water Corporation doesn’t have any relationship with the owners of the blues tankers at all. If there is any level of government that might have a close relationship with the owners of blue tankers, it might be the government of Central Equatoria. Why? The government of Central Equatoria have relationship, at least with the owners of the blue tankers, for two reasons. One, the government of Central Equatoria, through the Juba City Council, gives operation license to owners of blue tankers. Two, it’s the government of Central Equatoria that fines them when they go wrong; the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and Urban Water Corporation do not fine the owners of blue tankers when they go wrong” I was also told but i have not confirmed the third reason, that the government of Central Equatoria also impose tax on the owners of Blue Tankers”
The motion over water crisis that led to the summon of Central Equatoria Governor and National Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation was raised last week by member of parliament Mohamed Ahmed Musa from Western Bahr El Ghazal, who claimed water prices have reached SSP 9000 in far areas of Juba.
Deputy Speaker of TNLA Nataniel Oyet
The Deputy Speaker of TNLA Nataniel Oyet, who chaired the final sitting based on resolutions made by members, advised that all taxes levied on water truck owners by both levels of government be suspended for “the meantime” while he charged the concerned institutions to devise a better approach to solve the water menace in the city.
South Sudan capital Juba doesn’t have households water connections, hence reliance on water ferried by “Blue Tankers” becomes the only choice with some owners of the trucks raising the prices at their own will.
Research by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 2015 estimated that only 20% of Juba residents had access to municipal water operated by South Sudan Urban Water Corporation (SSUWC), the public water utility, mainly through a small piped network and boreholes. That number is likely to have dropped further.
In July 2019, AfDB signed off a $24.7 million grant with the Government of South Sudan to promote urban, peri-urban, and rural water and sanitation development in Juba and its immediate environs. This project, titled “Sustainable Water and Sanitation Project” for the people of Juba, has been approved, and grant agreements were signed by the Minister of Finance and Planning, Salvatore Garang Mabior, and Benedict Kanu, Country Manager of the Bank in South Sudan. The project includes the rehabilitation of about 50km of the Juba town distribution network and related works, including metering and public water collection outlets.