By Yiep Joseph
Government of Warrap state has received China food aid through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management amidst transport challenges.
In December 2024, the Chinese Embassy in the Republic of South Sudan handed over 980 tons of emergency food assistance donated to the government of South Sudan to Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management.
During the handover ceremony, Albino Akol, Minister of Humanitarian and Disaster Management, revealed that 60% of the food assistance would be given to states; however, he raised a transport challenge concern.
Akol expressed that due to poor roads, the transportation of food aid to the states would be hard. He also added that air transport remains expensive barely to be afforded by government.
To this date, most food assistance from the mentioned donation is alleged to have remained in stores at airport stores due to transport challenges while citizens at the grassroots continue to suffer from hunger.
In an interview with this outlet, Santino Ngong Longar, the secretary general (SG) of Warrap State, revealed that the state has transported 500 bags of wheat and rice from Juba.
According to Ngong, the food assistance received in Warrap state consists of 250 bags of wheat and 250 bags of rice.
“We hired the vehicles to transport these food items from Juba up to here (Warrap state); these were part of a Chinese donation,” he said.
He revealed that the state government committed its limited resources to ensure that the donation reached the beneficiaries.
“Our work is making sure that the food is transported from Juba to Warrap state, we have received them and they are now in the store to be distributed to the beneficiaries by the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC)” he said.
He added that the food assistance would support the returnees as well as those affected by the flood.
Ngong expressed that the state government remains committed to ensuring that food assistance reaches the target population in a transparent way and on time.
According to the UNHCR report of last year, about 893,000 people are flood-affected in 42 counties and the Abyei Administrative Area, with Unity and Warrap State accounting for over 40 per cent of the affected population.
Recently Over 90 households in Gogrial West County in Warrap State received humanitarian assistance from Kamsur General Trading Company, comprising of blankets and other necessities.
Warrap State Minister of Information, William Wol, told journalists last year that around 184,000 households have been affected by the floods, with 157 individuals suffering snake bites, six of whom died.
He noted that 280 schools, both primary and secondary, have been destroyed, leaving thousands of students without access to education, adding that numerous homes have also been destroyed, leaving many families in urgent need of shelter and basic supplies.