PHOTO: Passengers seen here boarding boats at Juba port - Stephen Chot | Eye Radio | October 21, 2021

The government promised to take urgent action to address the reports of oil pollution at Juba port, the South Sudan Urban Water Cooperation has said.

The institution’s Managing Director Yar Paul made the statement after a water purification company complained about reports of petroleum products leaking into the Nile from nearby ports.

Aqua’na says the river is continuously being contaminated by oil seeping into the river during the loading and offloading of boats, barges, and ferries at a port in the area.

In response, Ms Paul says the issue has been brought to the attention of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and it will be addressed urgently.

She further says the situation is a big concern that will be addressed by stakeholders including the Bureau of Standards, the City Council, and the Ministry of Environment.

“The issue was brought to the attention of our minister of water resources and irrigation and it’s a big concern, so, the ministry is going to address it as a matter of urgency,” Yar said.

“It could be Aquana today but you know we are also using the same Nile and we have an intake in front of that.”

“This pollution might not only be for Aquana but it can also spell to urban water cooperation, so we are very concern.”

“We will address this issue, you know we have a lot of stakeholders in the water issue, one important stakeholder is the Ministry of Environment and the Bureau of Standers and then we have the overall responsible ministry which is the lead ministry in the sector, and this is the ministry of water resources and irrigation.”

When contacted, an official in the Ministry of Environment referred the matter to the Bureau of Standards, which is yet to comment on the matter.