Government defends plans to purchase 200 water tankers

Water trucks line up at the river in Kator, Hai Cassava, Juba [Photo: InfoNile]

By Awan Achiek

The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation on Monday said that the plans to purchase 200 water tankers worth 9 million U.S. dollars is intended to reduce the price burden of water to local consumers in Juba.

“The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is writing to inform the public that the plan of the ministry to purchase 200 tanker trucks that cost 9 million dollars is in line with the public interest, as it is intended to reduce the price of one drum of water up to 300 South Sudanese pounds as opposed to the price of a drum sold by private tanker trucks,” the ministry said in a statement on its Facebook Page on Sunday.

This was in response to the Ebony Centre and Strategic Studies’ call to the Economic Cluster to abandon the purchase of the water tanker trucks.

On 9th January, the Economic Cluster led by Vice President James Wani Igga approved budget of 9 million dollars for the purchase of 100 water tankers to supply water in Juba this year.

The proposal was criticized by some members of the public on social media, with some urging the Economic Cluster to call off the project and instead invest the money in the installation of piped water in Juba.

The ministry defended the proposal saying it is a short-term intervention that will reduce the current price of water, adding that it is working on the connection of households with piped water.

“Strong men associated with the owners of the private tankers are using every means to sabotage the plan so that they continue reaping the abnormal profits they are getting from the sale of water at the expense of the public,” it said.