The government of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State has barred people in Aweil from eating fish after several of them caught had lesions.

That prompted the authorities to bar residents of Aweil Centre and Aweil West counties from eating fish until the experts from the national Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries find out the disease that is affecting the fish in the Lol River.

This was after the state Minister of Animal Resources, Fisheries, and Tourism, Diing Aher Ngong, briefed the governor, Tong Akeen Ngor, about the mysterious disease that had been discovered to have infected fish, causing wounds on them in the aforementioned counties.

In an interview with the spokesperson in the office of the governor, Emmanuel Dhel Peter said the incident had spread a wave of fear across the affected counties and the other counties where cases are yet to be identified.

Panic registered

“There is a disease which is not known, but the ministry is still doing an investigation.” They have communicated with the national ministry of animal resources and some of the partners so that they can check what kind of a disease it is actually, ” Peter said.

He added that the experts were expected to arrive in Aweil on Thursday to establish the cause and spare the possible effect on the livelihoods of the citizens.

“This has scared people. The cases were first found in Aweil Centre and later in Aweil West. It will affect the livelihood of the people. It has scared people. People are not eating fish from those counties, and other counties are afraid of this as well.

Governor briefed

On Monday, the state Minister for Animal Resources, Fisheries and Tourism, Diing Aher Ngong, briefed the governor about the situation, saying it was a serious incident that needed investigation.

“Governor Tong Akeen Ngor appreciated the State Minister of Animal Resources, Fisheries, and Tourism and the staff for visiting the site of the infected fishes in Aweil Center County,” read the statement shared by the office of the governor.

“Besides, the Governor urged the State Ministry of Animal Resources, Fishers and Tourism to spread awareness through local radio about the danger of consuming those infected fish.”

The governor urged the Ministry of Animal Resources, Fisheries and Tourism to swiftly investigate the disease to contain its possible outbreak to other unaffected counties.

“The minister describes the disease as a great concern for NBGs in general and informed the Governor that their ministry has contacted experts in the National Ministry of Animal Resources, Fisheries and Tourism and the partners who will be coming soon to urgently investigate the matter,” the statement continued.

According to a report from Eye Radio, the commissioner of Aweil Central County, Peter Nataly Okech, said they had issued an order for the removal of fishing nets and hooks from the Lol River till the cause is found.

“We have had an outbreak of fish sickness in our area here for eight days now since the outbreak of the sickness. From our side in the southern side of Aroyo in Aweil Center County, till Aweil West County, there has been this sickness,” Okech revealed to Eye Radio.

“The fish that has scales is eating the one without scales, and we are scared because of this situation. We issued a local order for them [people] not to eat fish and also not to drink this water unless it’s boiled.”