Rebecca Nyandeng the vice president for gender and youth cluster. Credit|Aljazeera

The Vice President for Youth Cluster and Gender Cluster has cautioned the government against diverting attention from peace implementation to the Nile dredging controversies.

Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior made the remarks on Tuesday, upon her return to Juba after a two-week trip to Nairobi, Kenya where she underwent a medical treatment.

Addressing the press at Juba International airport, Nyandeng said, she missed the opportunity to participate in the public discussions on the matter.

However, she said, dredging the Nile should not be a priority to the country as for now, but completing the remaining critical tasks of the peace agreement.

“You know the issue of the dredging, so don’t let us open other avenues or divert the attention when the end of transition is going into an impasse,” she said.

Nyandeng also added that the country would not allow individuals to do what she termed “something very silly to hurt the people of south Sudan” without going into details.

The vice president went on to say she is in support of the decision by the President to suspend the dredging-related activities until feasibility studies are carried out.

‘Today I want to give my support for those who said that the feasibility studies must take place first, because I also said one day, do feasibility studies, and also public has to be educated about really what is going in our country at the same time,” she said.

“I want to support and appreciate what the president has done, to suspense this because is going to cost problem and south Sudan will not afford another problem, so I also thank him for doing that, that’s how the leadership is.’’

According to her, Salva Kiir has demonstrated leadership after listening to the call by the common citizens to halt the move to allow for proper assessment.

On the eve of the Anniversaru of 11th Independence Day, President Salva Kiir ordered for the suspension of all dredging-related activities until the conduct of an environmental impact assessment.

The statement comes amid antagonism among the cabinet and members of the public on the pros and cons of deepening the Nile river tributaries.