Residents of Nagero County in urgent need of clean and safe water

By Awan Achiek

The residents of Nagero County in Western Equatoria State are at risk of catching water borne diseases due to lack of access to clean drinking water.

Tereza Ibrahim, Chairperson of Women Association in Nagero County said lack of safe drinking water is a major challenge for the population of Nagero County.

“The issue of water is very serious especially with the coming dry season because we fetch water for drinking from the river,” Ibrahim told journalists after the closure of a three-day peace conference in Yambio on Friday.

Ibrahim said the area has only three bore holes, adding that they cannot serve the entire population.

 “We only have three bore holes and we share these three bore holes with soldiers,” she said.

She also complained about the shortage of teachers and health facilities in the area.

 “We also lack good schools and teachers who can teach children. It is only those who completed senior 4 who are helping to teach our children,” said Ibrahim.

“If a woman is pregnant she will be taken to Tombura either by motorbike and the child may die in her womb on the way or even the mother may die on the way due to lack of hospital in the area,” she disclosed.

Fr. Luka Yuguhe, a Catholic priest in Nagero County called on NGOs and other development organizations to help establish schools and healthcare centers in the County.

“We need to develop some sectors especially education which is lacking here, we have only one secondary school which was recently established with help of these young people of Nagero and the church,” said Yuguhe.

He added that they also need good roads to enable farmers to transport their produce to the market and neighboring states.