Sudan committed to providing proper drainage system in the capital

By Ngor Arol Garang

August 31, 2009(KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government of National Unity today said committed to proving proper drainage system in the national capital Khartoum currently standing in water.

Ahmed Awad Al-Haj, a senior disaster manage team member, at Khartoum State Legislative Assembly building, today Monday 31, told reporters during a press briefing that ministry of humanitarian affairs in collaboration with Khartoum State authorities and international organizations have successfully mobilized labor supports from the local people inhabiting the capital to immediately access the most affected areas by recent floods.

“I’m impressed at how our citizens have stepped up in all areas to voluntarily help the government provide proper drainage skills into appropriate designated places,” he said. Many buildings and dikes are collapsing due to recent heavy rains in the national capital, he added.

He said that the government initiative to promptly respond to conducting such an exclusive assessment with the residents and nongovernmental organizations helped identify the immediate needs of the affected families living in across the capital and its outskirts.

The official further pointed out that the central government is very much concern about this situation. “President Bashir has formed a ministerial committee coordinated by humanitarian ministry to handle the situation,” he added.

Al-Bashir will this week visit all the affected areas, he disclosed.

The government is providing humanitarian assistance to individual families particularly the most affected ones with little children displaced onto streets by this flood, he said.

The national capital is now under a state of calamity as declared by president in the last week’s cabinets meeting which he shared in Khartoum. Classes have been suspended for students in most suburbs of Khartoum.

Many houses are submerged by the raging waters as the government is trying her best to save most the affected such as Haj Yousif, Khartoum 2 Omdurman among others.

(ST)