Power cuts ’cause unemployment’ in South Darfur capital

Life in Nyala city has been disrupted by power cuts in the residential and industrial areas for more than a week. Water disruptions in White Nile state have caused local prices to increase.

The frequent interruption of electricity supply in the capital of South Darfur has led to interrupted production in factories, workers being sent-away over the non-operation, and increased unemployment and even crime rates.

Members of Parliament added that Nyala witnesses a shortage of water throughout summer, which increases the suffering of residents. This week they accused the Ministry of Electricity of neglecting the state.

“The national electricity network of Sudan by now has reached all the cities except the Darfur states,” MPs claimed, and called for “the end of the darkness in Darfur”.

Water disruptions

Residents of several districts in Kosti town in White Nile state, have complained of disruptions in the water supply that have lasted for more than a week. Residents told Radio Dabanga that they pay for the water bill in advance, on the same time as the electricity bill.

“The price of water tins has risen to SDG4 ($0.60),” a listener said. But water is coming directly from the Nile, which he thinks exposes people to the contamination of watery diarrhoea. The disease – by Sudanese doctors confirmed to be cholera – hit the state last year and continues to claim deaths.

The resident said that people have informed officials about the water issues. “But they have paid little attention to our case.”

Cholera

Earlier this week Sudanese Health Minister Bahr Idris Abu Garda said that the number of cholera cases in White Nile is decreasing, following chlorination of drinking water. A challenge in clearing contaminated water in the area are the water sources outside of the network, the minister said, which require considerable chlorination efforts. Local health centres in the state reported to receive 40 new cholera cases on one day in April. Now, two cases remain in Um Jar and 20 in Kunouz, according to the ministry.