Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The State government officials in Eastern Equatoria State on Monday officially inaugurated 49km along Torit-Magwi feeder road to enhance farm markets and improve rural connectivity to health, education and other basic services.
The project which had kick-off on January last year had cost $3.95 million and was implemented by United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) with funding from the government of Netherlands.
In Eastern Equatoria State, the condition of the roads during past rainy seasons had been dangerous for drivers and traders in the state as many trucks got stuck while others carrying goods overturned.
Speaking to media during the handing over ceremony, the Governor of Eastern Equatoria State, Louis Lobong Lojore said that the opening of the road would improve economic and would be a corridor for building peace and stability in the state.
“the launching of this road, it will definitely improve the economy, particularly agriculturalists in Magwi because community will be able to sell their products and also have access to capital in term of services like hospital, education. I think it’s a right time for all of us, donors and developmental partners to shift away from emergency to real development,” Lojore said.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Head of Mission of the Kingdom of Netherlands, Jan Huesken said that the road network would create a market opportunity for big numbers of people in the state.
“We expect this feeder road network to support a great number of people around 5,000 families will get access to market and I am really happy that we create the first step into economy development,” Huesken stressed.
He urged the government to combat the conflict that has kept the country hostage for quite long and impose rule of law and security across the country.
He also added that South Sudan has enormous untapped resources and fertile agricultural land which required to be utilized as the recurring conflict and lack of feeder roads had made it difficult.
However, the State Minister of Transport, Road and Bridges, Gildo Abala Remi appreciated WFP and donors for their unwavering support adding that it was a constructive phase toward development.
He further applauded the work and cited that the travelling hours along Torit-Mawgi road has by then reduced from three hours to 45 minutes adding that as positive step.
He also said that as the State, they would take a good care of the roads and make sure that nonstop maintenance being done to keep the road in good condition.
Since 2011, WFP had completed rehabilitation works and maintenance of 13 trunk road totaling around 1,000km of roads across the country. Kuajok Bridge (120m) was completed in 2019.
Emergency road repairs were conducted in Maban on the Kaya-Banketa road. And 13.2km of the Saura-Li Rangu road and a 14.8km stretch of the Li Rangu – Nzara road both in Western Equatoria State.
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