Authorities in South Sudan's Warrap state have blamed the national government for failing to fix and build roads in the state.

Warrap state Information Minister Paul Dhel Gum said in an interview broadcast on state-owned radio in Kaucjok that it was a high time for the National Ministry of Roads to either get serious about doing its job or relinquish its responsibilities to the state governments.

Minister Paul said Friday that if the National Ministry cannot commit itself to implement its budget it should transfer its money to the states so they can take care of roads.

“The National Ministry of Roads has really indicated so far that they are either failing or attempting to fail," he said, noting that the rainy season is approaching yet roads are not ready. Paul said the roads in Warrap from Mapel and Panwaya are "completely damaged."

“Citizens across the remote areas of the state will be cut off from the rest of its capital Kuajok when rain starts," he said. "We are going to have a similar situation like the one we had last year. The state was cut off access to some areas because of poor roads."

Not even 'one pound' for roads

Paul said the job of fixing roads up to now belongs to the national ministry.

"The National Ministry of Roads is the one responsible to repair any damage," he said. "Every year they budget all these national roads. The roads that we are going to maintain fall under responsibility of the National Ministry of Roads and they have budget with them.”

Reacting to these statements, South Sudanese's Minister of Roads and Bridges Kwong Danhier Gatluak said the reason they haven't been working on roads is because they have not received any money to date for such projects, despite receiving significant allocations in the annual budget.

“Since I came to the Ministry I have never seen even one pound for road maintenance," Gatluak said. "If the ministry was given money and did nothing, then the public would have the right to blame us. But without money, there is nothing we can do."

Gatluak went on to say that Paul must be "from Mars" if he doesn't realize that "there is no money in the country" for roads and other projects.

“The government has not paid its civil servants for two months," the roads minister said. "I wonder if he [Paul] got the transfer of the last two months to his state...It is obvious that there is no money in the country. The country is at war, which is what the government is working hard to stop as the number priority."

States pick up the slack

Minister Paul said the Warrap government has repaired 30 kilometers of road from the Warrap border with Western Bahr al Ghazal state at Tharkueng through Kuacjok town to Gogrial, Wunrok, Turalei, and Akon.

He thanked Ayat Road Construction Company for lending them equipment to start repair of the roads after paying for fuel, spare parts, and payment for workers.

Paul called on authorities from neighbouring states of Western and Northern Bahr al Ghazal as well as Lakes to start repairing their segments of roads as well.