The government of Western Equatoria State on Thursday unveiled solar street lights that were recently installed in Yambio Town.
Speaking during the function to unveil the solar street light in Yambio main market, Governor Alfred Futuyo said the lighting will reduce theft and also to keep the market operational at night
Governor Futuyo said they have started with the market of Yambio, Masia, Puzo, and Ikpiro of Yambio Town but later, roll out to all the ten counties of the state.
“I want to tell you that it is not my money, it is the money they collect from taxes. This is what I use for doing all this work,” Governor Futuyo said. “When they take from you tax, do not refuse because it will deliver services to you. There is no money coming from the national government in Juba for services here. So it is your money which is doing all those services.”
He added, “So we have light now, we will bring police for protection, we will deploy security in this town so that the place can be secured and the light will not end here, it will go to all the ten counties of the State, that is how Juba started, maybe we will have tarmac roads soon.”
Ambrose Magaya, the managing director of a local company in Yambio called Quick Service Compound Limited, which installs the solar lights said his company will continue supplying quality lights but called on the communities to protect the lights.
“We discussed with the governor and he said he needed lights for the traders in Yambio market. He asked me how I can bring those solar so I said we will bring street lights. So now it is going to start with Yambio market, Masia and other places in Yambio town. What I need from you as citizens is the protection of those things (lights) so that it can help us,” Magaya said.
Meanwhile, the head of the traders’ association in Yambio, John Zawa, appreciated the governor for the initiative.
“We are very happy that today they are launching street lights for us because we used to close early but now with light, our market will go till 10 pm or midnight,” Zawa said. “So, we appreciate our Governor Futuyo for the initiative. To my fellow traders, I want to tell you that we are the ones to look after these solar security lights.”
Luka James, a bodaboda rider in Yambio main market, said he is very happy to see the lights and that he can now operate till late.
“I work as a bodaboda rider in One Family Park here in Yambio and I am very happy about the light which the government has brought us. We will move freely and we thank the governor for that.”