South Sudan’s national minister of roads and bridges last week commissioned a newly refurbished feeder road linking Western Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap States and also inaugurated works on another feeder road linking Kayango Boma in the north of Jur River County to Bessilia Payam in the west of Wau County in Western Bahr el Ghazal state.
While speaking to the press in Wau last Thursday, the national roads minister, Simon Majok Majak, said the ongoing projects to rehabilitate feeder roads in the greater Bahr el Ghazal region was sponsored by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to respond to the sustainable Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through the repair of the country’s poor road infrastructure.
He said the project also aims at linking local farmers to markets to boost the economic returns and wellbeing of ordinary citizens in the country.
“I am here on a visit with our partners, the Ambassador of the EU to South Sudan as well as the implementer, UNOPS, on the project of feeder roads. We dropped by yesterday (Wednesday) from Kuajok to Kangi and then to Kanyongo where we had a function. This project was implemented by UNOPS with support from the EU,” Minister Majok said.
He added: “We are very thankful for this great assistance to our farmers and our people to get them connected and also to facilitate their produce to the bigger markets.”
For her part, state governor Sarah Cleto appreciated the national government for the initiative and the support from the European Union and UNOPS to the people of Bahr el Ghazal states.
“We commissioned the road yesterday, August 11, and also we opened the start of the construction of a feeder road from Kayango to Bessilia. We are very grateful for the initiative by the European Union and also the UNOPS and all the contractors that have implemented the projects,” Governor Cleto said.
She said the newly rehabilitated roads will not only help in connecting to the states but also help in restoring the social fabric of the communities in the region.
“We need these roads to help build our social fabric and also to help us in connection to the markets during this time of peace implementation in maintaining the stability in the country,” Cleto added.