{"id":45712,"date":"2026-06-26T11:54:25","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T09:54:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/?p=45712"},"modified":"2026-06-29T12:07:36","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T10:07:36","slug":"opinion-1800-megawatts-of-hope-why-fula-dam-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/26\/opinion-1800-megawatts-of-hope-why-fula-dam-matters\/","title":{"rendered":"OPINION: 1,800 Megawatts of Hope: Why Fula Dam Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Writer:\u00a0 Chol Peter Majoh<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The recent statement by the Minister of Energy and Dams, Agok Makur, that the proposed Fula Hydropower Dam could generate about 1,800 megawatts of electricity and power the entire country is not merely good news; it is a validation of what some of us have been advocating for years.<\/p>\n

In 2022, I wrote an opinion article titled “Can We Revisit the Fulla Fall Dam Project to Fulfill Our Dream of Industrialisation?” In that article, I argued that South Sudan’s greatest obstacle to industrial development was the absence of reliable and affordable electricity.<\/p>\n

Four years later, the government’s own assessment appears to confirm that argument. The minister now describes the Fula Hydropower Dam as a “gift from God” capable of transforming South Sudan’s economy, attracting investment, creating jobs, and even generating surplus power for export.<\/p>\n

The question today is no longer whether the Fula Dam is necessary. The question is why we have waited this long.<\/p>\n

For decades, South Sudan has remained heavily dependent on imported goods. Nearly everything consumed in our markets, from food products to construction materials, comes from neighbouring countries.<\/p>\n

This dependence has made life expensive for ordinary citizens because transport costs, customs fees, and other logistical expenses are passed on to consumers. Meanwhile, local production remains weak because industries cannot operate competitively without dependable electricity.<\/p>\n

No country has achieved meaningful industrialisation without energy. Factories need power. Mining operations need power. Agricultural processing plants need power. Modern hospitals, schools, and technology centers need power. Electricity is the foundation upon which economic transformation is built.<\/p>\n

That is why I have consistently argued that the Fula Dam is not simply an energy project. It is a national development project.<\/p>\n

The history of the dam itself demonstrates how long this vision has existed. Discussions about the project date back to 2009, before South Sudan gained independence. Plans were developed, committees were established, and hopes were raised.<\/p>\n

Yet after independence, progress stalled. Funding challenges, technical constraints, political instability, and shifting priorities pushed the project into the background.<\/p>\n

Today, however, South Sudan has an opportunity to revive that vision with greater urgency and determination.<\/p>\n

Minister Agok Makur’s remarks should serve as a wake-up call. If the Fula Dam can indeed generate around 1,800 megawatts, it would not only satisfy domestic demand but position South Sudan as a regional energy player. Reliable electricity would encourage manufacturers to establish factories locally. It would reduce production costs. It would create thousands of jobs for young people. It would strengthen agriculture through agro-processing industries. It would support mining, fisheries, forestry, and countless other sectors.<\/p>\n

Most importantly, it would give South Sudanese citizens something they have long dreamed about: the ability to produce goods at home rather than importing everything from abroad.<\/p>\n

Imagine a South Sudan where products on supermarket shelves proudly carry the label “Made in South Sudan.” Imagine industrial parks operating around the clock. Imagine businesses no longer relying on expensive diesel generators. Imagine rural communities connected to the national grid. That future begins with energy.<\/p>\n

The significance of hydropower extends beyond economics. Access to electricity improves education, healthcare, communication, and overall quality of life. It creates opportunities that reduce poverty and give young people alternatives to unemployment and dependency.<\/p>\n

This is why I continue to believe that the Fula Dam represents one of the most strategic investments South Sudan can make.<\/p>\n

Of course, large infrastructure projects require careful planning, environmental assessments, financing arrangements, and regional cooperation. These considerations are important and should not be overlooked. But they should not become excuses for endless delays. Development demands courage, commitment, and long-term vision.<\/p>\n

The minister has now publicly reaffirmed the enormous potential of the Fula Hydropower Dam. The government should therefore move beyond discussion and accelerate concrete steps toward implementation. South Sudan has talked about its energy potential for years. The time has come to transform that potential into reality.<\/p>\n

History may one day judge the Fula Dam as the project that changed South Sudan’s economic destiny. But that can only happen if leaders act decisively today.<\/p>\n

The dream of industrialisation is still alive. The dream of affordable electricity is still alive. The dream of a productive, self-reliant South Sudan is still alive. And the path toward that dream runs through Fula. This is the dream I advocated for in 2022, and now it is finally taking shape.<\/p>\n

The author is reachable via email: Cholpetermajo@gmail.com<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Disclaimer:<\/strong> Any opinion published on our platforms does not represent our view or position.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Writer:\u00a0 Chol Peter Majoh The recent statement by the Minister of Energy and Dams, Agok Makur, that the proposed Fula Hydropower Dam could generate about 1,800 megawatts of electricity and power the entire country is not merely good news; it is a validation of what some of us have been[Read More…]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":45713,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[89,90,80,87],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-columnists","category-commentary","category-national","category-oped"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/By-Chol-Peter-Majoh.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45712"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45716,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45712\/revisions\/45716"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}