Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Eastern Equatoria State Governor Louis Lobong Lojore and his delegation have urged the national Minister of Roads and Bridges to include the state in the government’s mineral-based road construction projects.
The call comes after the cabinet recently approved $2 billion for road infrastructure, with funding to be backed by gold reserves.
Governor Lobong and his team met with National Minister of Roads and Bridges, Peter Lam Both, yesterday to discuss how the state’s mineral resources could be used to upgrade roads in the region.
In a statement to SSBC, Eastern Equatoria State Minister of Information and Communication, Elia John Alhaj, said the state is rich in minerals that can support road construction.
“Some roads in the country are being rehabilitated using mineral resources. We, the people of Eastern Equatoria, feel that since we also have these resources, the national ministry should encourage investors to come and use them to construct roads in our state as well,”
Meanwhile, the Head of the Eastern Equatoria Parliamentary Caucus in the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly, Julius Moilinga, said the delegation sought clarification from the minister on why the state was not included in the initial phase of the plan.
“We came here for an inquiry to find out exactly from the mouth of the horse who happens to be the minister as to why Eastern Equatoria is not having a share in in the whole plan. But then after a very satisfactory description of the plans of the government in as far as these projects which are preliminary and pilot in nature, we felt that we have not been left out from his description. These are pilot projects,” Julius said.
Moilinga expressed hope that Eastern Equatoria could be considered in the next phase, after the ministry explained that current projects are preliminary pilot initiatives.
“These are pilot projects. If they are done very well, I think we will come in If the country has goals as resources, and I think we’ll perform the best if in the next phase,” he added.
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