The authorities of Abyei Special Administrative Area (ASAA) have said the planning and surveying of the town had commenced and that when finished, it will attract investors.
Abyei Information Minister Bol Koc told Radio Tamazuj Wednesday that the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) is constructing the road connecting Abyei town and Twic County in Warrap State and that the local government is surveying Abyei town.
“There is a company in the UNISFA compound tasked to construct the road from Athony village towards Nyindeng Ayuel and then connect it with Akech-Nhial bridge towards Abyei,” he said. “We have brought in an engineering team from Juba to survey Abyei and create a modern town plan so that everyone resides in a very good place. This is very important because Abyei is known globally and the challenge is that it has not been surveyed.”
“Another advantage of surveyed and planned land is that rains and flooding do not destroy houses because there are roads and water pathways and the well-off citizens can build long-lasting houses with confidence,” Minister Koc added.
He said the survey was instituted because it has not been raining heavily this time around compared to last year.
Koc however said residents who are affected by the physical planning and survey exercise will not be compensated.
“The government has nothing to compensate the population with but those affected by roads, churches, and playgrounds will be relocated to a very large area near the Nyinkuec Market which the government has reserved,” he stated.
For his part, Abyei Town Mayor Mading Anyang confirmed the exercise and appealed to the town’s residents to comply with and support the activity as it will benefit future generations.
“The land survey started and was initiated by the Area’s ministry of physical infrastructure and myself as one responsible for the town. My role will also be active when land allotments start,” he said. “There are committees overseeing those affected by roads and open spaces. People should not panic and feel bad when their huts are demolished because having surveyed land has a lot of benefits and one can lease their plot to investors and earn monthly income.”
“People with money can also build proper houses,” Mayor Anyang added.
Meanwhile, Achok Deng, a resident of Abyei town, said the planning of the town was good and would reduce diseases.
“The land survey is ongoing and it is good because Abyei will look modern with open roads,” he said. “It will also help reduce environmental diseases when the town is clean and there is no worry of demolitions because one can still get his or her right to own land when the land is allotted to people later.”