An activist has called on the Juba City Council to reconsider reducing prices set by blue water tankers without addressing factors driving the cost, adding that such decision has worsened the dire water crisis facing Juba residents for years.
In September, the City Council imposed reduction in drinking water prices –lowering the cost from 5,000 to 2,500 South Sudan pounds within Juba and SSP3,500 in the suburbs. The decision was reached during a meeting with key water stakeholders.
However, blue water tankers mostly foreigners went on strike to protest the prices reduction – leading to dire shortage of water in the residential areas.
The water sellers argue that it is impossible to reduce their prices when factors driving their increase including the cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance are still the same.
Some Juba residents who spoke to Eye Radio last week, said they had not seen water for days and lamented that it is better for the water tank drivers to supply at the initial prices.
Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization says the decision has worsened the dire water crisis in the city.
Yakani appealed to the City Council to back off from the decision to reduce water prices until it bring down the costs of fuel and spare parts which are essential in the provision of such service.
He said the water tankers strike has caused a lot of suffering and put some businesses on the verge of collapse.
“Why should we rush to bring barrel of water to 2500 SSP without reducing the prices of fuel and other aspects that are associated with water tank in delivering water from wherever they filing to house?” he inquired.
“I am appealing to our leaders make an urgent decision on the water prices. Citizens are suffering badly. Some business are collapsing, women who are selling tea cannot access water in order to make their business of tea.”
Juba – in whose midst the Nile River passes through – does not have pipe water distribution system and its residential areas rely on water tankers for its domestic use. The city residents have since decried high water prices and called on the government to construct a more reliable water distribution network.
Water tanker drivers have attributed rising water prices to extortion allegedly by traffic police and high fuel costs.
The activist underscored that the water business and other essential services are not in the hands of South Sudanese but that it has been overtaken by foreigners.
“It is clearly proven that we are not in charge as a nation in term of delivering services like water to our people. You can see now when the water tanks is under the management foreigners.”
“A moment has come for our government to take charge in provision of basic services like water which should not defeat them.”
He said it is unbelievable that after more than a decade of independence, South Sudan government is still unable to find solution to a central social service like water supply to its own citizens.
Last month, the National parliament directed stakeholders to address water crisis in the capital during a sitting that summoned several officials.
These include the Governor of Central Equatoria, Minister of Resource and Irrigation, Mayor of Juba City Council and the South Sudan Urban Water Cooperation Managing Director.
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