The Daunting Task of Organizing for Socioeconomic Development of South Sudan – Part 2

By Simon El Hag Kulusika, Lusaka, Zambia

Sunday, October 18, 2020 (PW) — Many countries that rose from the ashes of wars, especially civil wars, are faced by many problems such as, disharmony between ethnic groups in this or that country. South Sudan can be counted among those countries. The people of South Sudan who comprise many ethnic groups and clans have waged wars against one another. 

They also fought against intruders including slave traders and successive governments of Khartoum. These wars left scars and bitter memories that require healing. It was for that reasons among others that a Commission of Truth, Reconciliation and healing (CTRH) was established to work towards healing among individuals, communities and ethnic groups.

Yes, when people get the truth of what had happened they could reconcile by forgiveness. Then will begin the processes of healing a restorative processes done through campaigns of sensitization. Such processes are important to bring about love, harmony, and peaceful coexistence of the different ethnic groups in South Sudan.

Agricultural Sector

In terms of natural resources, Agriculture is mainly subsistence farming, although small,medium snd large scales farming is beginning to spread throughout South Sudan but is at its infancy. This type of farming is run by big businesses controlled by developers or foreign investors. Both groups have engaged few junior staffs and very few senior managers from the people. Ninth-fifth of the population is eengaged in agricultural activities.

As has been indicated farming in South Sudan is subsistence farming. The farmer produces crops just enough for his or her own family  in most cases there is no surplus for sale. The method of farming, done manually, has limited or restricted the ability of a farmer to produce more for sale. The second inhibition is absence of markets where produces can be sold. This at one time was the cause of the decline of cotton growing in the Ma’di lands in the 1950s and 1960s before people fled to Uganda as Anyanya fighters intensified attacks on Nimule, Loa, Pa Geri and Moli.

A third impediment is lach of proper storagee facilities, resulting inloss of produce due to humidity or theft. A fourth obsttaclee is transportation. Roads are bad for commodities to be ferried from farms to markets in cities or towns.Subsistence farming lacks the abilities to diversify. The common crops are sorghum, millet, maize, groundnuts, sessime and a variety of vegetables, such as pumpkin, beans  (blue-eye ), and some other types of beans, okra, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, etc.

All are grown in tiny farms for household consumption. Thus they play no role in the economy of the country. This must be made to change by encouraging subsistence farmers to graduate at least to small scale farming. This calls for the empowerment of rural farmers so that they can increase production that will lead to increase income necessary for socio-economic transformation and development. They must also be encouraged to grow cash crops such as cotton, tobacco products, soyabeans and many others.

These crops and crops such as groundnuts, sessime  and tomatoes when produced in large quantities and consistently will facilitate the establishment of manuturing and industrial plants relevant to these crops. Eg, cotton for ginning and textiles plants. Groundnuts and sessime for cooking oil factories. Sorghum and maize for milling plants to produce flours. Increase in growing sugar cans wil facilitate the establishment of additional sugar manufacturer in plants. Irrigation farming should also be introduced in areas proned to droughts etc. such leaps into industrialisation will contribute to GDP  and accelerate economic development in South Sudan.

No doubt industries of a that description will require advanced infrastructures, such as reliable sources of power, e.g. hydro-electricity, solar or wind power or a combination of these powers. The implications are that energy and trained manpower are prerequisite to industrial development, provided that raw materials are readily available. The emphasis is that government should take immediate measures to improve agricultural production in the country as it’s bound to be a major factor in socio-economic changes.

Livestocks farming

Many people in the country are herders. They rear cattle, goats and sheep. Some of them also do some subsistence farming in a very small scale. Their main interests lie in their cattle and goats. The animals are reserved for traditional social matters, such as marriage and death rituals. It is relatively rare for a household to sell a cow or a bull in exchange for money. Only exceptionally this is allowed,in particular in exchange for guns and amunitions.

Guns for herders and pasturalists are imperative as they enable them to protect themselves against hostile intruders that may intend to steal their invaluable cattle or goats. It’s high time that sensitisation is carried out among herders so that they understand the importance of selling some of their animals in exchange for money vital for the Betterment of their living standards. They should move with the new changes and confront the challenges of modernity to their traditions. 

Herders should be sensitised to form cooperatives, these sre also relevant to farmers, to enable them market their cattle and goats, and sell their milk to businesses specialized in dairy products and have founded factories for processing dairy products, such as milk, butter, ice cream as the case may be. This does not mean that cattle camps will vanish over night. It’s a gradual and humane processes. But they must take place, if South Sudan is to catch up with socio-economic transformation and development  sweeping across the globe.

Massive campaigns of sensitisation is required if people are to forgo their traditions and customs. Very difficult tasks for governments St all levels. At the present contribution of livestocks sectors to the GDP is undocumented and may be non at all. What a waste.f. Water: it has remained unutilised for development purposes. It’s used for drinking and other household needs. It’s also used by herders for their animals. A little use of water is for river transportation.

There are numbers of steamers plying up and down the White Nile and Bahr al Ghazal. This has to be improved as it will provide cheap transport for people including tourists of the future. They may become vital for ferrying goods. Water should also be used to generate power by means of Dams: small, medium and grand. There is no doubt that the proposed Fulas Dam will draw sharp rejection from countries down stream. This calls for negotiations to prevent unnecessary conflicts. 

South Sudan can develop if it can establish industrial plants to produce goods for domestic use and exports. Manufacturing firms and Industrial plants require secure energy to operate round the clock, and seven days a week, throughout the year. Such energy can only be provided by the operation of hydro-power or Nuclear power stations. It means SS must build a number of Dams for this purpose as Nuclear energy cannot possibly be an option considering the poor level of scientific knowledge and technical know how.

South Sudan has to build at least  three Dams. One has already been identified. The other two we would suggest should be on Bahr Al Ghazal river, one on Sobat river.  If possible a small one on Kinyeti river in Torit. plans should be put in place for Solar power stations. These projects will require considerable investments and trained personnels in dams construction and energy’ hydro or thermal. These matters will be considered further below.

Infrastructural Development

A reliable energy is vital for developmental projects and for use by households, business enterprises, educational institutions, health facilities, the military, law enforcement agencies,so forth. It can be hydro or thermal powers, Solar power, wind power or other renewable sources of power. All of them will produce electricity for use by the institutions just mentioned in addition to farmers and livestocks industries.

Available information tells us that electricity can come in different shades: static electricity,  current  electricity, hydro electricity, Solar electricity, wind  electricity, and others. It’s also claimed that Nuclear energy is more efficient and effective. But may be hazardous in case of the escape of radiations as happened in East Germany, the USSR, USA and recently in Japan. 

South Sudan has its first electricity Grid in 2019 in Juba from a power station being built by Ezra Groups of Eritrea at cost of  $289 millions. The first phase has been completed with a ccapacity of 30 MW. Once the project is completed  it will provide about 300 MW for Juba. Other parts of SS will continue to remain in darkness except those individuals, organisations and businesses that may afford to buy generators. President Kiir, when launching the Juba power station project, conceded that 70 % of businesses are using Generators to maintain operations.

In the past there were a number of power stations in Juba 5.0 MW; Kapoeta 0.9 MW; Maridi 0.9  MW; Yei 1.2 MW, very insignificant and pathetic as such power stations can be useful for households, government departments, businesses and organisations for a part of the day only and not throughout the week. They cannot be used for heavy industries and manufacturing firms. The result is lack of these facilities thereby retarding economic development in South Sudan.

This state of affairs must be changed as South Sudan positions itself for great changes in the life of the people. The national government must take immediate actions to build Dams or installed Solar panels to provide electricity throughout South Sudan. There should be deliberate policy for rural electrification to help rural population rise from abject poverty and join the nation in quest for socio-economic transformation and development. 

The rural electrification should be implemented by the national and states governments. There should be established a national committee with sub-committees in the states capitals to execute projects for rural electrification that should be done simultaneously with projects for electrification of cities, towns and counties headquarters throughout South Sudan. These projects must be properly planned and funding sought from international finances institutions and donor countries. There must be no compromise on energy as it’s a matter that is vital for progress.

Health Sectors

when it’s claimed that a country X has economic troubles, it can be understood that all of its economic sectors are affected  in one way or the other. It’s true for South Sudan. No sector of the economy is safe. All sectors are in trouble. The health sectors are seriously in crunches, in terms of inadequacy of physicians and supporting staffs, such as assistant medical personnels, nurses, midwives, laboratory technicians, radiographers, physiotherapists, pharmacists, and so forth.

To make things worst most health facilities complained of shortages of drugs,in addition to absence of electricity. Statistics about health facilities are depressive. There are 15 hospitals in the entire South Sudan. This means that hospitals are located in the  cities and a few municipalities or towns,with exception of Aswa hospital which caters for patients all over Ma’di lands and beyond. it’s estimated that there are 815 primary health care centres (PHCC) and other lower category health facilities.

It’s also reported that there are 189 physicians. That there is  one physician per 39088 person (1: 39088). Outside Juba and the states capitals, people have to travel long distances in search of medical attention and possible treatment if they are luky. The health sectors require urgent remedial actions from both national and states governments to address crisis the health sectors are encountering throughout South Sudan.

This opinion article is recommending:

(1) To draw a new map for health facilities for entire South Sudan showing the current status and future development ie where a hospital, a PHCC, or other such facilities should be built. This should include rural areas.

(2) All health facilities must be adequately staffed. This calls for additional recruitment of Staffs. Medical schools and nursing colleges or centres should be required to double intake in order to pass out more physicians, nurses,  midwives, radiologists, and lab assistants, etc. A private medical school that enrol more students to its school should receive grant from the national government.

(3) There should be mobile hospitals or PHCC for the  herders and pasturalists. Due to difficulty of accessing certain areas during rainy season, there should be choppers equipped with medicals for communities cut off. This service may be called ‘Flying Doctors health care’.

(4) All hospitals and PHCC must have heavy duty generators to provide electricity for surgical, X- Ray, Laboratory operations.

(5) A special presidential committee should be established to monitor the distribution of medicines and their use throughout South Sudan.

(6) Rural population must be given priority in matters of health care as they do not have other options as city dwellers have. The latter can go to private hospitals or clinics. In matters of health care and education, development must start from the rural areas. 

Education Sector

This had seen modest expansion and improvement.  But has been affected by events of 2013. Many schools and other institutions of higher learning have been damaged or destroyed. Assets and resources looted. Many children have run away to IDPs camps or fled with or without their parents across borders to become refugees. Many rural areas are badly affected. These are deserted meaning no educational activities is taking place there.

But situation may change when former refugees return to their respective ancestral lands and homes to start a new the journey of economic development. They will need all the requirements of advancement including health care, education, safe and clean water. This must be taken to them in the form of boreholes rather than they trekking long distances to look for water.

Education at all levels in SS is poor. In good condition one can say there are 2 millions school going children. Out of this more than 51-70 % are out of school due to insecurity and inability to access schools. Some remained with their parents at cattle camps or farms. Poverty,early child marriage and cultural beliefs also hindered child education in SS. Secondary school intake is about 5% it’s reported.

Most of the children have to travel to cities and towns to access secondary schools which are located in those urban areas. It’s estimated that there are 230 secondary school buildings in those cities and towns. It’s also reported that to improve education in SS the government has to improve infrastructure such building new schools at all levels.

At present most teachers are not qualified and inadequate. Putting up new schools will reduce overcrowding in schools both in urban and rural settings. No wonder then that politicians, ministers and affluent persons send their children for education abroad: Uganda, Kenya, UK, USA etc. It’s the poor who have to face the harsh condition of education in SS. The educational sectors need urgent policy measures to improve those sectors and prevent them from collapse.

UNICEF and other international NGOs and USAID are doing commendable work in the  fields of education  in SS, specially children’s education. Intake to public higher education, colleges, institutes and university is still low. This has to be raised to give rooms for most schools leavers. Conditions of service in these institutions need to be reconsidered for improvement.

Transportation and Communication

These infrastructures are very troublesome in SS. Although they are key in bringing people closer to one another to build friendship and promote coexistence and peace. In South Sudan this is not the reality. Transportation by roads is very difficult. Air transport is limited. River transport is limited to certain parts of SS. Communication is possible by  mobile phones where networks providers have extended coverage. Radio transmission is relatively widespread especially those operated by Solar power.

This simply means that a lot needs to be done to connect all parts of the country together. Reports would appear to suggest that there are more than 17000 km of networks of roads in SS. Some are primary roads, such as expressways. Others are secondary roads, in addition to feeder roads found in rural areas. The 17000 km of roads are crude estimates and would seem not to cover roads in cities and towns across South Sudan. Of the 17000 of roads about 500 km are paved, such as the ones linking Nimule to Juba, Magwi to Lobone, Amdai to Tali, Yei to Lasu, while the one from Juba to Nadapal is in the pipeline.

And one hopes that that pipeline will be lighted to the delight of people on that road. These paved roads have cut the time spent on the road by over 3/ 5 of the time when they were gravel and difficult to use during  rainy season. South Sudan needs paved roads to allow people as passengers travel faster. Goods must be ferried at short time to consumers to prevent perishables from being lost. cargoes for export must be moved swiftly to ports of exit to global markets.

At present this is not possible due to bad state of roads. In some parts of Jonglei, Upper Nile and  lakes roads are impassable during the rainy season. to construct paved roads in those areas will require engineering innovations. The construction cost will be high. The Chinese have built roads networks in the swamps of Western Province of Zambia. They may assist SS to build such roads in the states indicated. Efficient networks of roads will not only ease movement of people and goods including foods, but will encourage farmers to increase the size of their farms to produce surpluses for sell.

This rapid movement should be complemented by the availability of markets and storage facilities,such as sheds for small farmers or siloes for large or commercial farmers. Such activities will increase agricultural and livestocks industries outputs that will contribute to GDP a necessary factor for economic development. The government has to draw plans for  roads  and railways networks development. In addition to river and air transportation to facilitate domestic and international links and trade.

It used to be a challenge to travel from Magwi to Lobone for over ten hours. It was not only cruel but an impediment to economic development. Today that distance is done in  about 1 1/2 hours with occasional stop at markets on the roadside built by the contractor that implemented the project on the instructions of the institution that funded the project. The road is a rural road,it wil impact positively on the economy of the country. This is the kind of infrastructure SS needs.

Human Resources Development

Human beings are the ultimate drivers of economic advancement. But their roles vary considerably depending on their educational background or practical training in certain areas of human endeavours. A skilled worker who fixes a generator can contribute to economic development, but not someone who has no knowledge what a generator does or how it functions.

A radiography technician is preferred to a nurse when it comes to operating a radiological device. A mechanic is in a better position than a Ballet dancer when a vehicle engine is to be fixed because it has an ignition defects. The function of human resources is to educate and train persons in different fields of knowledge so that they be called upon to solve or advise on a problem or problems that require a specific know how.

Where a country has a skilled manpower, educated class of people, such as engineers, physicians, economists, and so forth, it can rely on them in solving problems that might arise in their respective areas of expertise. A skilled workforce and educated men and women are important human resources for economic transformation and development. South Sudan needs more of trained personnel. This can be achieved through expansion of tertiary education and concerted vocational training. 

The final words of these articles is that economic development can be realised if there is political stability and peace. If there is public governance and participation of all in the affairs of the state. If there is macroeconomic stability, that is inflation should not exceed 12%, and exchange rates kept low,while increasing exports and inflow of foreign direct investments. South Sudan has economic troubles, but together we can beat and overcome them.

The author, Prof. Simon El Hag Kulusika (ZAOU, Lusaka), is a concerned citizen of South Sudan, Arapi, Pa-Geri County, Eastern Equatoria State of South Sudan. He can be reached via his email address: pa352128@gmail.com or Lusaka phone + 260973711250

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