By Mamer Abraham
National Minister for Environment and Forestry, Josephine Napwon, has handed over three trucks and two vans to Juba City Council to boost garbage collection.
The trucks were donated by the government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Napwon appreciated JICA for the grant they gave to the government, pledging that her ministry would offer relentless support for environmental conservation.
“Our city has not been all that clean, but our acting mayor is doing something great,” said Napwon.
According to the Central Equatoria state gubernatorial press, the modern garbage collection trucks will aid in waste management, while the two vans will help the city council increase revenue collection.
“This is part of a robust initiative of the State Government through Juba City Council to accelerate efforts to keep Juba clean, green, and safe amid the tendency of rampant littering by the city dwellers,” read the statement.
For his part, the governor of Central Equatoria State, Emmanuel Adil Anthony, appreciated the Ministry of Environment and JICA for their unwavering support.
He urged the City Council to use the trucks to lift the face of Juba City to meet the standards of cities globally.
Adil further called for the actualization of a digital revenue collection system to help tame the spiraling economic downturn.
Tanaka Hiroyuki, JICA’s Representative in South Sudan, promised that the government of Japan was ready to support the cleaning campaigns in the city.
In February 2022, the Juba City Council launched a cleaning campaign at Mauna Block 3 residential area themed “Keep Juba Clean and Green.”
Gasim Erasto Ibrahim, the Director General of the Department of Environment and Sanitation in the Juba City Council, hailed the people of the Mauna residential area for their cooperation.
“I am calling upon all the citizens from the rest of the residential areas to do the same as what the people of the Mauna residential area have done. I am telling you not to burn garbage along the areas because it harbors dangerous diseases as well as causes damages to the environment,” he said.
The Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Sagara Fuyuki, said waste collection and sanitation were very important to the local populace.