By Mary Poni
The authorities of Juba City Council under the stewardship of Mayor Michael Lado Allah-Jabu has issued a local order to regulate and control littering of plastic bottles, banned accumulating garbage and dumping along street in the middle of main roads and in front of shops and residencies in the capital.
The city Mayor’s order stated that all forms of garbage and dumping of waste along the streets and in the middle of the roads, in front of business places and in the residencies is punishable by the by-laws.
The order cited as local order No. 13/2022 issued by Mayor Michael Lado Allah-Jabu on Wednesday bans, regulates and controls littering, and unrecognized waste disposal along the streets and middle of main roads as well as dumping garbage in front of businesses and residencies.
The order is directed to citizens of all walks of life in the city including traders operating various types of businesses in Juba warning them to refrain from the act of littering the environment.
“All citizens have been advised to use garbage collection bins provided by the waste management and disposal company which is East Africa Go-Green (EAGG) for proper and orderly disposal of all forms of waste” the order stated.
It added that all responsible and reliable citizens in the city are to ensure that the environment in which they operate and reside is clean at any cost.
The order also tasks the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to ensure close inspection and timely collection of waste in designated locations according to collection plan designed by the parties to enable enforcement of the order.
“Any person, institution, companies and others found in the process of littering, transfer of garbage from one location to another, dumping waste along or in the middle of road or in front of businesses and residencies or along tarmac and marram roads and in market areas within the city shall be apprehended and fined whereas, companies and institutions will have to pay amount of 200,000 SSP (two hundred thousand),” the order partially read.
“Individuals hired to ferry garbage for dumping in unauthorized locations shall be fined SSP 50,000SSP or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two months while a household member shall be fined 10,000 or imprisonment,” and “business owners that allow litter of bottles and any form of waste in front of their shops shall be fined SSP 20,000 or face imprisonment for two weeks or more,” the order stated.
The order further cautioned owners of restaurants and tea places not to pour waste water on tarmac and marram roads otherwise they will be fined SSP 50,000 or it may lead to closure of their restaurants and tea places or face imprisonment as well.
“If traders fail to remove the temporary bridges on drainages or water way causing diversion to water passage will be fined with an amount of SSP 50,000 or else their business shall be closed. However, vehicle washing is not allowed along main and neighborhood roads (tarmac or marram). Failure to comply shall face the law with fine of 50,000ssp or two months in prison,” it further added.
All the quarter council administrative units and law enforcement agencies, Sector commanders in the jurisdiction of Juba City (JCC) have been directed to ensure this local order is fully implemented in letter and spirit.
The mayor noted that where applicable defaulters shall be subject to application of other relevant laws in South Sudan including but not limited to Penal code 2008 and any other applicable laws.
The implementers include Juba City Council Block Councils of Kator, Department of Environment and Sanitation East Africa Go-Green Company and Juba City Chamber of Commerce.