The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has announced that it completed construction of a new police post and water station in Jur River County in Western Bahr el Ghazal State, just days after handing over a similar building to the government in another part of the state.
The police building is one of many recent infrastructure projects that UNMISS has carried out in government-held areas, including schools, police stations and engineering works for the state-controlled broadcaster.
In a statement on its website, UNMISS disclosed that the police post is equipped with five offices and three detention cells. They said the building was constructed by UN peacekeepers from Kenya and funded by the Mission’s “Quick Impact” fund.
“The two projects cost well over 150,000 dollars,” said UNMISS State Coordinator Winnie Babihuga, as quoted as saying to the UNMISS radio service Radio Miraya.
According to the UNMISS Relief, Reintegration and Protection Officer Bernald Brima, the choice of projects to implement in the county was based on priorities identified by local communities.
“UNMISS decided to build police stations in three counties of the state because that was the need the community identified,” he said, as quoted on the UNMISS website.
Representing the governor, State Minister of Agriculture Michael Madut said the new police station will bring services closer to the people. “The police post is given to you to maintain security and it has cells. I want from today the citizens of Nyinakok to know that there is a government and a police to stand with them,” he said, as quoted by Radio Miraya.
Radio Miraya reported that the police post cost $50,000 and the water project cost $90,000.
File photo: Interior Minister Aleu Ayieny speaking to members of the South Sudan National Police Service, 12 May 2014 (Radio Tamazuj)
Related:
UN troops in South Sudan build government infrastructure (13 March)
UN builds police station in W Bahr al Ghazal (13 March)
UN builds police post in Khor William, Juba (25 Nov.)