By Jacob Onuha Nelson
The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) has handed over Laboratory equipment and water quality sensor to the Republic of South Sudan under the ministry of water Resources and irrigation
Speaking to the press on Monday at the Ministry of water resource and irrigation in Juba, Achier Manyuat John, the undersecretary in the ministry of water Resources and Irrigation, expressed a gratitude to the NBI for the donation.
He expressed that the equipment such as pH meters, turbidity sensors, and field kits will improve water quality monitoring in Juba.
“On behalf of the Ministry of Water Resource and Education I want to take this chance to thank and appreciate the NBI with their development partners for the donation of the equipment,” Manyuat appreciated the donors.
The undersecretary emphasized that the equipment is going to enhance the quality of water for the citizens to move from quantity to quality. Citing that the ministry believed to make sure that the donated items play a role of data availability.
“I believe the Ministry of Water Resource, Department of Water Quality is going to make use of this donated item to make sure that the data is required, is available by the use of the equipment,” he assured.
He assured the public that it’s message from the ministry of water to equipped with available tools to monitor the quality of water available in the country.
Dr. Florence Grace Adongo, Executive Director of Nile Basin Initiative, stated that the event marked, the hand over of water quality equipment and the resource of the Nile.
“As you are aware, about 97% of South Sudan is within the Nile Basin and therefore it is extremely important that we provide the support to enhance scientific knowledge and capacity to better understand the resources for sustainable utilization and management of these common Nile water resources,” Grace said.
She said the intergovernmental institution project equipment worth 120,000 US dollars have been handed over to South Sudan. citing that technical experts are being built with regional experts to work with Nile River Basin that manage the issue of water quality to makes sure that it harmonizes capacities of the countries that translate data into information that can be shared both national and regional planning and development.
“This is the first time in the Nile Basin the countries are receiving water quality equipment to monitor quality because sustainable water resources management requires us to understand both the quality and the quantity of the water resources and that is when we can advise the countries on the availability of water resources,” she stated.
In his part, Samuel Wani Onesimo, the Director for water quality monitoring, expressed an appreciation, saying the project has created trainings and network with other quality water staff regionally.
“The trainings, after trainings, we received the equipment, which is really a big donation, something very important for a country like us who are still understaffed,” Wani noted.
He said after having gained trainings, the ministry expected to be giving the same data like other regions. citing that with challenges, the country faced. he personally realized that South Sudan still behind when compared with other regional countries in terms of water quality capacity.
“To myself I can’t realize that we are not at the same level when you compare other regional laboratories, we are behind in terms of capacity, including equipment we are behind, he exclaimed.
He said there is need of consideration in terms of capacity building, training and support to establish the system in order to share as beloved citizens of South Sudan.
However, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation in South Sudan faces significant challenges with laboratory equipment and water quality especially from protracted conflict, insufficient funding, limited infrastructure and a lack of skilled personnel.