Official suggests use of govt planes to spray crop pests

A bank official has urged the need to avail planes that were purchased by Ministry of Petroleum last year to help spray crop pests in Upper Nile State.

Betty Achan who is the deputy head of the Board of Directors of the Agriculture Bank of South Sudan directed the request to the Ministries of Petroleum and Agriculture.

Speaking during a visit to Malakal on Friday, Achan said they found out that the ministry of petroleum purchased some planes.

She did not specify the number of the planes and their intended purposes.

However, in June 2023, the Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol confirmed the purchase of two geophysics airplane to conduct aerial surveys of the country’s mineral resources.

Achan suggested the need for the institutions to cooperate and use the planes to combating agricultural pests in Upper Nile state.

“I will take the message seriously to the Minister of Agriculture, and we see how we could work together.

“Actually before we came, we had a discussion at a different level and we found out that the Ministry of Petroleum purchased some planes. So why don’t we coordinate with them, so that we use those planes to spray the birds?

“We came to the field and listened to the farmers. We saw this problem could be solved. There is problem that cannot be solved.”

Over the years, farmers in Upper Nile have repeatedly called on the National Government and NGOs to help them with agricultural inputs and spray their crops with pesticides.

But the calls were not heeded to.

On his part, the Governor of Upper Nile State, James Odhok Oyay hopes that the national government will intervene and support the farmers.

“All the 13 counties of the state are considered suitable for agriculture. I hope that their next report will include a plan to support farmers in Upper Nile State to ensure better agricultural production than last year’s.”

“Because the last agricultural season was successful due to farmers’ initiatives and reliance on their crops. But in this session, we want the government to intervene and provide support to farmers.

 

 

 

 

 

Kuol Manyang to armed forces; Respect civilians

As South Sudan marks the 41st anniversary of 16 May also known as SPLA Day, senior presidential advisor and veteran politician Kuol Manyang Juuk has called on soldiers to enforce law and order in their units and respect the civil population.

Koul said  the SPLA day is a  reminder of loyalty and determination when liberators demonstrated sacrifices and discipline during the struggle for the independence of the country.

He said soldiers and members of the other organized forces should emulate the SPLA struggle and be united for the common good of the civil population.

“I want the army and the organized forces all including the police to continue doing their level best to build the nation because if there is insecurity, even they, will also not enjoy it because it affects everybody.

“I want to tell them to help President Salva and implement the constitution which is their mandate to respect the civil population.

” Because the duty of the officers is also to educate those who are under them, to control them, and enforce law and order within their units because they are they are back bone of governance.

“They are the protectors of the people and the nation. They should not be the one violating the laws. This is my message to the soldiers.”

The SPLA Day is marked on May 16, every year.

It is to recall when in 1983 some mutinies broke out in the barracks of the Sudanese army in the southern regions, most notably in Bor, and also at Ayod, Pochalla, Wangkai, and Pibor.

The mutinies were commanded by Major Kerubino Kuanyin Bol and Major William Nyuon Bany.

On May 16th, 1983, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army was founded, with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement as its political wing.

John Garang de Mabior was made its first chairman and Commander-in-Chief.

Kerbino Kuanyin was appointed the second-ranking Commander, and William Nyuon its third in command.

The SPLM/SPLA aimed to establish an autonomous Southern Sudan, initially within a united Sudan.

In 1984, the first full-fledged SPLA battalion graduated in the village of Bilpam.

The name ‘Bilpam’ carried great symbolic importance for SPLA as the epicenter of the uprising.

After Bilpam, other SPLA training camps were established at Dimma, Bonga, and Panyido.

Its military actions against the Sudanese government became the Second Sudanese Civil War that would last until 2005.

After South Sudan gained its independence in 2011, the SPLA became the army of the new country.

The SPLA was renamed the South Sudan People’s Defense Force, SSPDF, in 2018, partly after the SPLA splintered into so many groups fighting each other from 2013 and 2016.

As of 2019, the SSPDF comprises the Ground Force, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, and Presidential Guard.

 

 

 

Kiir chairs economic cluster meeting amid ‘hurting’ inflation

President Salva Kiir on Wednesday chaired the Economic Cluster Meeting and announced plans to inject hard currency into the market in a bid to combat the current inflation.

The meeting brought together the Minister of Finance, Awow Daniel Chuang, the Governor of Central Bank Dr Alic Garang and the Commissioner of General of South Sudan Revenue Auhtority, among others.

According to the Minister of Finance and Planning Awow Daniel Chuang, “the initiative aims to stabilize prices and alleviate the burden on consumers.

“This support will help ensure a steady supply of food and other agricultural produce in the market,” the officials were cited as saying.

Chuang added that the government has also imported tons of food commodities to be sold at subsidized prices in various parts of the country.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Trade and Industry, William Anyuon said the government has imported millions of litters of fuel to supply the market.

The government, according to the press unit in the president’s officer, has pledged to support farmers by providing them with the necessary resources to boost their agricultural activities.

The economic turn-down as a result of the depleting oil revenue attributed to the geopolitical issues including the war in Sudan and blockade of the Red Sea has left the citizens struggling with civil servants going fro several months without salaries.

The country’s dependence on imports has made the situation even more difficult as traders struggle to access the hard currency.

 

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