Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Students at Bahr el Ghazal University staged a peaceful protest on Monday over a lack of food on campus, citing the administration’s failure to settle debts with a food supplier.
In a statement obtained by Sudans Post, the students said the university’s failure to pay Pawak Company, the contracted food provider, had resulted in a two-week halt in food deliveries.
“The administration’s failure to pay debts to the food contractor company Pawak Company, as a result Pawak has stopped supplying food to the students for the past two weeks,” the statement said.
The students called on the government to intervene and clear the outstanding debt owed to Pawak.
Eyewitnesses reported that the protest led to the closure of the Wau town market, known as Jou market, as students marched with placards chanting “No food, No elections.”
“Students were seen blocking roads near the university and the market,” said a source. “The closure of the market has caused disruption to businesses and residents in the area.”
Law enforcement deployed forces at the university and surrounding areas to maintain order and protect property.
It remains unclear how long the protest will continue or what further actions the students might take.
Deputy governor of Western Bahr el Ghazal Zacharia Jospeh Garang urged the students for patience, promising an amicable solution.
The university administration, along with state authorities, pledged to provide a week’s worth of food rations while they seek funding from the Ministry of Higher Education.
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