Michael Makuei Lueth, Minister of Information during a cabinet meeting on 10th July 2020. | File Photo/Eye Radio

The national cabinet has approved more than $28.3 million to the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation for the purchase of water equipment in the country.

Information Minister and government spokesperson Michael Makuei said the budget was approved by the Council Ministers on Friday to purchase equipment for the management of water resources.

Speaking to the media, Minister Michael Makuei said the equipment will enable the Water Ministry to discharge its duties.

“The operationalization of this project according to him is for the purchase of equipment that is needed for the ministry in order to enable it to conduct its duties and to acquire items of development of water sources,” Makuei told the press.

According to him, the finance will purchase machinery to clean some rivers and construct water reservoirs to minimize flooding in the country.

“These include the dredging of the rivers and construction of mini dams for the preservation of water and so forth, the cost of the implementation was approximated to be 28,233,714 US dollars,’’ Makuei said.

Minister Makuei however clarified that the government initiative has nothing to do with the Jonglei Canal project.

Last year, the 5th Governors Forum recommended the construction of dams, canals, dykes, and waterways to control and mitigate the impact of flooding in the country.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, nearly the entire population in 27 counties across South Sudan has been affected or displaced by floods.

Livelihood and farmlands have reportedly been submerged by the devastating floods causing famine concerns for the residents there.

Jonglei and Unity states are the most affected states accounting for over half of its population affected.

Upper Nile, Western, and Northern Bahr el Ghazal came second as states badly affected by floodwater.

In March, the Ministry of Water Resource and Irrigation received four barges from Egypt.

Minister Manawa Peter Gatkuoth said the water vehicles will be used to clean two tributaries of the Nile; the Naam River and Bahr El Ghazal Basin.

This is to increase the flow of water downstream in order to reduce flooding in South Sudan as well as to satisfy the dire need for water in Egypt.

However, members of the public have been left skeptical of the plan, with some raising fears the government could be reviving the defunct Jonglei Canal Project.