By Mary Poni
President Salva Kiir who is the Chancellor of the University of Juba has donated one million United States Dollars as part of his contribution to the fundraising campaign aimed at building more modern learning infrastructures at the University of Juba.
President Kiir’s one million US dollars pledge was announced by the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin during the fundraising campaign at Freedom Hall in Juba yesterday.
Dr. Marial was speaking on behalf of President Kiir, as the guest of honour during the official launch of the fundraising of $3 million for the infrastructural development of the University of Juba.
He said the President who was expected to officiate the official kick off of the fundraising campaign asked him (Dr. Barnaba Marial) to stand in for him.
Dr. Marial described the event as one of the pillars in building the nation.
He said the President in his capacity as well as the Chancellor of the Public University supported the initiative.
He said the President would have loved to attend the launching of the fundraising but due to other national pressing issues, he delegated him (Minister of Presidential Affairs) to represent him.
“South Sudan is not like any other country, I think if you become the President of the country like Kiir, you will hardly get five minutes of your own, therefore, we have a lot of challenges, we can understand why the President is not here,” he cited.
Minister Marial applauded each and every one who took their humble time to support and witness the fundraising.
“As we are all aware, the expansion, growth witnessed by the university in recent years warrant this action and we must recognize it that there is a change in the University of Juba in terms of infrastructure and students’ population,” he stated.
The fundraising is targeting the infrastructural development of the university that will ease congestion on current facilities and to create premium learning spaces for the student’s population.
“We have heard the history of the university; it has been well articulated by the Vice Canceller Dr. John Akec and expanded upon by the chairperson of the University of Juba Council Dr. Manase Lomole Waya,” he noted.
“I would like to let our students who are here and the eminent persons, professors in the university that the university is a baby conceived by our political leaders of Southern Sudan by then and before independence,” said Marial.
He hinted that the donation is a noble objective to develop the university’s infrastructural development as demanded by the limitations of the lecture spaces, library including many other necessities.
Barnaba said the university was born out of the struggle of the heroes but rather not the university conceiving itself in its own manner.
The fundraising event was a very important and momentum occasion which was strategized to develop new infrastructure in the university and the country at large.
Dr. Barnaba Marial said every citizen in the country must be proud to contribute to the development of the institution.