By Bosco Bush
Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) has resolved to summon the Minister of Water and Irrigation, the Chairperson of Urban Water Corporation, the Governor of Central Equatoria State, and the Mayor of Juba City Council to address the issue.
The decision came after a point of information raised by Hon. Khalid Abdallah Adam, a lawmaker representing Raja County in Western Bahr el Ghazal.
During the ordinary session, Abdallah shared a personal account of the hardships faced by ordinary citizens in affording basic necessities amidst the ongoing economic crisis.
“Rt. Honorable Speaker, today in Juba a barrel of water has reached 6,000 SSP. How can we protect our citizens from this agony? Basic needs are becoming unaffordable,” Hon. Khalid stated.
He further pointed out that water tanker suppliers purchase water at a relatively lower price of about 500 SSP per barrel at supply points around Juba, questioning why they would then resell it at such inflated prices.
Despite the River Nile flowing through Juba, residents rely heavily on water tank supplies rather than a reliable piped water system.
As South Sudan grapples with a severe economic crisis, residents of Juba are finding it extremely difficult as water prices increase uncontrollably, prompting public outcry.
Currently, a 200-liter barrel of water is being sold for over 5,000 South Sudanese Pounds, a sharp increase from approximately 1,000 SSP in early January 2024.
Last year, the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) launched phase one of a water supply system in Juba, with a $47.8 million water treatment plant inaugurated by President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
However, the impact of this initiative has yet to alleviate the current water supply challenges.