By Manas James Okony
At least 12 people, among them five children, have succumbed to starvation in Likuangole County, Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA).
The devastating events occurred over a short span of a week, from June 28 to July 2.
In an interview with No. 1 Citizen Newspaper, John Gogol, the Likuangole County commissioner, expressed deep concern and urgently appealed for food assistance to prevent further loss of life.
“Between June 28 and July 2, we tragically lost a total of 12 individuals – comprising four men, three women, and five children. These deaths are a result of severe hunger and thirst. The community is facing a severe shortage of nourishment, coupled with contaminated water from the nearby river” Gogol revealed the grim details.
Commissioner Gogol further explained, “the shortage of food has been exacerbated by crop failures, pushing the residents to resort to grazing on grasses akin to herbivores. Even these edible grasses are depleting rapidly. We implore for urgent intervention to address this impending crisis of hunger.”
Meanwhile, Oleyo Akwer Nyalus, the Information Minister of GPAA, shared the gravity of the situation and echoed the urgent plea for support.
“The situation in Likuangole has reached a critical level, impacting not only this county but neighboring areas as well. Just recently, the distressing discovery of two men who perished from starvation while working on their farm in Gumuruk underscores the urgent need for intervention,” he stated.
The dire circumstances facing the residents of Likuangole County serve as a stark reminder of the pressing need for immediate humanitarian aid to alleviate the rampant hunger and prevent further loss of life across the country.