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

The minister of information said the council of ministers has approved the cleaning and clearing of rivers for smooth navigation in the country, saying this will only take place after proper studies have been conducted.

This came four-month after public outcry over the dredging of the Nile River by Egypt.

In July this year, President Salva Kiir ordered the suspension of all dredging-related activities until an environmental impact assessment is conducted.

The dredging project approved by the cabinet last year is targeting the Bahr el Ghazal-Naam river.

This came after environmental experts and academicians at the University of Juba called on the government to first carry out an environmental and social impact assessment before dredging the Nile tributaries.

Thus, the president formed a public consultation on the Nile Water and Management team tasked to organize public consultation to address the matter.

During the consultation, the international and national environmental experts made their presentations to the public, civil society, activists, lawyers, doctors, academia, legislature, and the cabinet among others.

The public consultation on the Nile Water and Management recommended credible feasibility studies before the dredging of the Nile tributaries takes place.

The team also suggests the establishment of a national water commission that will focus on regional and international issues.

Speaking to the media after an extraordinary meeting of the council of ministers, Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth, said the cabinet has taken the decision after listening to a presentation by Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin the Presidential Affairs Minister.

Makuei, who is also the government spokesperson, added that the decision was made in consideration of the awareness and public consultations conducted in Juba months ago.

“The cabinet listened to a Presentation by Dr. Barnaba Marial, the Minister of Presidential Affairs on the outcome of the awareness and consultation forum on the climate change in the Republic of South Sudan,” he told the media on Monday.

Minister Makuei said the clearing of waterways is to remove obstacles and enable navigation.

“After consideration of the recommendations, the cabinet decided that what should be done is cleaning and clearing of the waterways, that means removing whatever obstacles and cleaning the waterways to enable navigation, and other things.”

He added that the clearing and cleaning of rivers will take place after studies have been carried out.

“This was approved and will be implemented accordingly, of course after studies, the clearing and the cleaning of waterways will be implemented.”