Moderators of the public awareness and consultation on the Nile water submitting a report to the Minister of Presidential Affairs Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin. | Office of the President.

President Salva Kiir directed the Minister of Presidential Affairs to present the public awareness and consultation report on the Nile waters, before the Council of Ministers for deliberation.

Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin received the document on last month’s consultation forum, which contains a number of recommendations on the issue of dredging and resumption of Jonglei Canal.

“This report provides way forward, and lessons learnt to support the R-TGONU on the contentious issues of dredging and resumption of Jonglei Canal, which are perceived to have detrimental impacts on the Sudd Wetlands, and the White Nile River and its tributaries,” reads a statement from the Office of the President.

On 9th July, President Salva Kiir ordered the suspension of all dredging-related activities until an environmental impact assessment is conducted.

The decision came after a backlash over the controversial project to dredge the Naam River and Bahr El Ghazal Basin.

The government approved the project to open water ways along the northern tributary of the Nile, in what has been presumed as a solution to three years of flood disaster in the country’s lowlands.

The issue was seen to have invoked needless assumptions, misinformation and divided the public between pro and anti dredging.

Environmental experts warn of drastic reduction in water level and destruction of the ecosystem in the sudd wetland.

However, others believe reducing a volume of water downstream to Sudan and Egypt could solve the issue of flooding in Upper Nile and Bahr El Ghazal regions.

Last month, a public awareness forum involving environmental experts, government officials and members of the public was conducted in Juba.

The forum under the theme: “No Life without Water: Develop and Manage the White Nile Water Resources and the Sudd Wetlands Sustainably” focused on scientific approach to managing the Nile water and the wetlands.

According to Kiir’s office, the report was compiled by the Secretariat and Editorial Team of the Sudd Wetlands and the White Nile Water Resources Development and Management Initiative.

The team is led by Akoc Akuei Manheim, deputized by Mr David John Kumuri.

“The Minister of Presidential Affairs Hon. Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin said, H. E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit has directed him to present the report to the Council of Ministers for deliberations,” reads the statement.