12 November 2014
Good evening. It’s 5pm and I am David Lukan with Radio Miraya news.
The headlines:
· Much needed humanitarian assistance arrives in Renk County, Upper Nile State
· Calm reported in Unity State
· Juba traffic officers receive training on new traffic lights
Trucks loaded with food relief for thousands of people affected by conflict have arrived in Renk County, Upper Nile State.
The items are part of a relief consignment transported from the World Food Programme office in Khartoum to assist communities in northern parts of the country.
Renk County Commissioner Lual Deng Chol says distribution will start tomorrow to communities in Al Daba, Majack, Dukduk and Jerbanna.
Lual Deng Chol: “A number of trucks arrived from Sudan via Juwda border cross point carrying food items almost 20 trucks reached the northern parts of Renk County. We received four trucks in Renk and the food items will be distributed tomorrow after registration of the displaced people who were forced to flee the areas of Al Daba, Majack, Dukduk and Jerbanna. In September, the items included edible oil, lentils and sorghum.”
The World Food Programme this week announced the arrival of 7,000 metric tons of food aid through the northern humanitarian corridor as one month rations for communities in the north of the country.
The Caretaker Governor of Unity State says the state is relatively calm.
Joseph Nguen Monytuil says there has been no fighting between government and opposition forces over the past few days.
Monytuil has welcomed the agreement made between President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar in Addis Ababa this week.
Nguen Manytuil: “There is a relative calm after the 29 October attack by the rebels. The state now is calm and there has been no other violation so far. We hope that with the recommitment to the cessation of hostilities that they have just signed two days back… If they stick to that agreement that will wonderful and will create conducive atmosphere for the peace negotiation the processes that are taking place in Addis Ababa.”
The last clashes between the SPLA and the opposition in Unity State were reported on the 29th of last month.
A school has been opened in Juba to accommodate hundreds of children displaced by conflict in Jonglei.
The internally displaced people’s school in the Konyokonyo area has enrolled 500 students.
The school’s Director, Nyang Booth Shok, says the students will be eligible to sit the final secondary school examinations.
Shok notes there are several challenges facing the students and their teachers.
Nyang Both: “We as teachers face many challenges for example housing. Sometimes because there is none, most teachers live with their relatives. Students also suffer from the problem of transportation. These are all the challenges facing us and the state did not restrict but cannot process housing for students and teachers until peace. This is my message across Miraya FM to the government of the South Sudan and the states of Jonglei and Upper Nile and Bentiu.”
The bodies of former Yei Municipality Mayor Cecilia Oba and her office manager Emmanuel Lemi have arrived in Yei River County for burial.
State Information Minister Suba Samuel Manase says the bodies will be taken to Yei Freedom Square for public viewing before separate church services.
Samuel Manase: “The bodies will be taken to Yei Freedom Square for public viewing. I think we shall have some short speeches there. After that programme, they will be taken to the respective churches of Episcopal Church of Sudan and the Catholic Church. Emma of course is a Catholic, the body will be to the Catholic and Honorable Cecilia Oba will be taken to Episcopal Church of the Sudan. After the prayers in the churches, the bodies will be taken to the respective family houses. Emmanuel will be laid here in Yei town while for Cecilia Oba, the family has resolved that it will be laid in the village that is in Kegulu.”
Meanwhile, four suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of the former mayor of Yei River County, Cecilia Oba.
Police Spokesperson Col. James Monday Enoka says the suspects were arrested in Juba. He says police is searching for more suspects.
Monday Enoka: “There is very comprehensive investigation going on in this matter under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police in Central Equatoria State, Maj. General Henry Danima. All the experts in investigation and police CID are deployed at the disposal of the State Police Commissioner to apprehend the criminals and bring them to book. So far, four suspects have been detained for investigation and the investigation is progressing. Actually, we hope that this investigation will be completely accomplished in a successful manner to bring the culprits to justice.”
Cecilia Oba and her office manager Emmanuel Lemi were found brutally murdered near her unfinished house in the Jebel area, along Yei road last weekend.
The Captain of a boat that capsized on River Nile says the accident happened after the boat made a sharp turn and hit an island.
Dut Machur Lueth and his turn boy are being held by authorities in Mingkaman in Lakes State for investigation.
The Monday night accident left nine people, including women and children, dead.
Lueth and the turnboy were among 20 survivors who swam ashore. The Captain says he was given directions by his turnboy.
Dut Machur Lueth: “When we arrived, my turn boy said he knew the route because he used to use it in the past. He told me to turn right straight ahead. The boat was loaded with UN items; about 1200 bags of maize. There were also 29 passengers; nine died and 20 survived – including myself. The cause of accident was that corner I was told to take. I was not used to the route but I was told to take it, but it was not the right way to go.”
The boat carrying 29 passengers was loaded with 1,200 bags of maize flour meant for IDPs in Mingkaman camp in Lakes State.
You are listening to Radio Miraya news.
The administration at the University of Juba says a shortage of staff is affecting its operations.
The University Vice Chancellor, Prof. John Akech says they need at least 14 million pounds to be able to recruit the staff required.
The university has reopened for a new semester after a 4 month break. Vice Chancellor Akech explains more.
Prof. John Akech: “One of the major things is that this university used to have over 650 academic staff when it was at its full capacity. After independence, that number dropped drastically, then it rose a little bit but we are still hovering around 300, which means we actually running at half of our capacity. The colleges also don’t have many administrators like registrars and administrative assistants. Colleges are actually lacking staff so that you will find one or two people struggling to process the results. Processing the results was one of the things that delayed the academic opening.”
Prof Akech says the administration is also reviewing the colleges and programs offered to students.
The Vice Chancellor says the university rules and regulations will also be reviewed.
About 15 Traffic Police officers are undergoing training on how to guide traffic flow following the installation of new traffic lights in Juba.
The officers will spend two days learning how to manage the traffic and direct motorists.
The new lights installed over the weekend have caused some confusion among motorist.
Justin Tata Elisama is a senior urban planner in Juba City Council.
Justin Tata Elisama: “The confusion you are talking about is because the setting is standard in a way that whether you are going towards Gudele or you are coming from Gudele or you are going towards Bilfam the setting is the same but eventually the setting will be done according to the number of vehicles which direction they are going and this will also be part of this studies. In transportation planning, there is what we call peak time and that is usually during the rush hours in the morning when everyone wants to get to work. Those are the times where adjustment of the traffic lights has to facilitate quick and efficient flow of the traffic, and this is what the training is also covering. We are training our traffic police officers to regulate that specific moment.”
The Western Equatoria State Minister of Education says the state ministry is to benefit from a capitation grant to boost education.
Peya Michael Phillip says starting next academic year, the state will receive $30,000 every year as a contribution from donors to improve the quality of education and boost enrollment in schools.
Phillip says the state will use some of the money to recruit teachers and build five primary schools.
The Minister says the amount of money received is based on the number of students enrolled.
Peya Michael Phillip: “The calculation is very simple – the more children you have in the schools, the more money you get; the less children, the less money. The more money you get, the greater the opportunity to improve the school environment. That is number one. Now, I am urging every school to make sure that they report on the money they have received and to make sure they have a plan for the money that they will receive and what they need to do actually is to mobilize more children to school.”
In regional news, Uganda has been declared free of Marburg.
The World Health Organisation made the pronouncement after the country completed the 42 surveillance period without reporting new cases.
Marburg is an Ebola-like viral hemorrhagic fever. Uganda declared the outbreak after a health worker died from the virus in September.
Onto sports, Malakeia Fc has been crowned champs for the mayor’s football cup after a 3-nil victory over Merikh team last evening at Juba Stadium.
Speaking after the match, Malakia Head Coach Ramzey Sebit said the team played strategically to claim the title.
Ramzey Sebit: “Since we came into the match, we put up a strategic plan. Any player of Malakeia FC should contribute something to the club. We made two teams – Team A1 and Team A2. A1 can play today and A2 can play next day. Sometimes we mixed between A1 and A2. The players said ‘This is our time and we must be popular!.” We took the local league cup, we took the South Sudan main cup and now we have also taken the Mayor’s Cup and we are hoping to take the National Premier Leagueto make it five titles as our gift to the club.”
And the National Athletics Federation has inaugurated a new playground in Juba.
The grounds in Buluk will host national and international events.
Sulaiman Khamis, Chairperson of the National Athletics Federation has thanked the federation’s partners for their support in fixing up the grounds.
Sulaiman Khamis: “First of all I want to thank the SPLA engineering section. They have done a very good job here. This playground is the official playground of the athletics in South Sudan so we are announcing to our people in South Sudan that we have inaugurated this place today for the athletics. For those who are willing to do their activities here, the place is ready for them from today. The grounds are ready for everybody who wants to come and do their activities here. The place is ready for them.”
To end the news the once again the main stories:
· Much needed humanitarian assistance arrives in Renk County, Upper Nile State
· Calm reported in Unity State
· Juba traffic officers receive training on new traffic lights
You have been listening to Radio Miraya news. I am David Lukan.
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