Road network for South Sudans is top priorities
By Isaiah Abraham
July 23, 2007 — Put it this way: what are GOSS priorities then and now generally? Well, anything in our case as Southern Sudan Government is a priority; be it security (stability), reconciliation (unity), health (clean water & hospitals/clinics), education (schools and others), power (electricity), communication etc. Indeed Southern Sudan lags behind in almost everything, and hence its has real massive needs. Decision makers in Juba therefore need to work round the clock as far as service deliveries are concerned. It requires more than just a clear picture of the nature of problems but also a gut, willingness and sacrifice to make things move fast. We are yet to see this coming out from our very leaders we entrusted our future into their hands. Yes in all our Ministries there are papers well crafted but those ideas end up being there for public relation purpose or to save face before the House or The President. There is more to individual inputs in everything we do or about to do and this where we have problem as advocates for better life for Southern Sudan. Our partners in the System, the National Congress Party (NCP) or Khartoum must not be allowed to laugh last or spew vitriol at us because of our weaknesses to govern ourselves wisely.
But a good servant leader will always work things within its own means and abilities, or create one or two to achieve something. A true revolutionary eats, drinks and sleeps with his eyes and ears open to see where to play his/part for the good of others. In another word, what he could do for the good of many and this land should preoccupied our thoughts, time, engergy and efforts. One living story is here: Dr. John Sabur (SPLA man) finds himself doing what took him to the bush in the first- liberation. In 1992, the Government force was squeezing SPLA somewhere in one of our battle fields. It so happen coincidently that he had just acquired a brand pick up from Kenya. Graciously, he delivered that car and my cousin Peter Louju Lokwam broke that news to us at a very critical time. We were in trouble on what to do with one effective gun on the ground, because one of our cars was on its ‘stomach’- lost all tyres. He saved several lives from that single little act and we treasured it! When crisis calls like in our situation a liberator or freedom fighter or leader put his interest second. Few leaders are marking themselves in our hearts and we only pray for more. I believe you have one or two stories of this kind, don’t you?
A week a go when Malakal Military bases was officially handed over to Joint Integrated Units (JIUs), the Commanding Officer from SPLM JIU in the person of Brig. Marial Chinuor ordered his men to clear grass at the barrack, main roads and all the way from the barrack to the main Military residence. He opened up sideways for water to pass to the river Nile and he deservedly got huge commendation from the public. With no shame on SAF faces they instead took away everything they could carry even carpets and windows. GOSS has few and don’t want to get carried away on who has done what in the struggle or who is doing what now. The point to note and perhaps cherish however here is that every contribution for the public good however little or meager as far we could see, will go all the way for the benefit of everybody and our generation after us. It doesn’t matter whether you do it in your house privately or at public place. We therefore felt proud and encourage when our brothers and sister trooped from overseas to our main city Juba about the future of this land. GOSS decision makers must not sleep over recommendations made by SPLM Chapters from abroad/Diaspora. Those young men/women in that workshop or participation were much exposed.
Back to our road now. We have been hearing officials of Road Ministry argue strongly that they are not getting necessary funding to tarmac Juba or Juba -Nimule or Yei roads. Unfortunately, that is too little too late. People again pin their hope that Hon. David Deng Athorbei would turn things around or do better than his predecessor. We shall see next year this time round. Ordinary, it’s normal as per the style of leadership from our President. He gives enough time to his men/women to either do it well or ‘mess up’ and then allow them to carry their ‘own crosses’. Good style isn’t? Umm…The writer is the victim of conscience and in cold mood. But the President has enough time and could still re-brand himself and get our votes. He is a good listener.
In our situation that is what took Mr. Nhial Deng Nhial and his Khartoum counterpart in Nairobi in 2005 to chart out courses for development given our situation in the short and long run. Those ideas helped the new GOSS administration to pick things from and somehow that track got nipped in the bud. Our needs are basics and actually with no strategists or forecasters we could only see what is really urgent and what isn’t. GOSS energies and resources in earlier 2006 were geared towards security and unity of our people. The two were interrelated in a way. Their efforts paid handsomely as our people for the first time have one strong Army (SPLA) and a Government firmly from all tribes of our land, irrespective of any history. It is time to move to the next item in the list-road network. Services from roads should come next. If the last reshuffle is anything to go by, we could expect good things coming out from Juba as to this need for better road coming out from our main city Juba then to other towns.
Madame Rebecca Nyandeng was shown the door last month because our road networks particularly in Juba have been under constant scrutiny from the public. The public got it right or wrong, though there are issues where we need to let our new Minister (Hon. David Deng) pick up a lesson or two. But why focus on roads and not hospitals or schools? It is asked. Besides being the most visible sign of development, roads are surest instrument of evaluation. That means, the Government success in building roads is also its success economically and politically. That is why President Kiir couldn’t risk his political future because Madame Rebecca has been or is his ‘mother’ in the struggle.
Roads however eat large chunk of Government budget and one could sense at that budget charted out for roads from that time in Nairobi for six year. But what do road works cost? Road works vary in cost depending on the size of the road, the traffic on the road, the area in which the road passes and the climate. There is though an average estimation for the cost on routine maintenance, partial improvement, sport improvements and then tarmac. We are at this last stage of tarmac.
Our people really want to see road flatted in our Capital city Juba. Juba road tarmac road could be 100 KM long. If we go by current or medium standard of how much a KM costs for tarmac construction (East African cost), we will end up paying the contractors $200,000 a KM. Safely, our GOSS could pay for our city Juba $20 mln. Don’t ask me where or the source of these figures. Dr. Daniel Wani knows exactly what am talking about. He has been on paper work on this for long. But is that money unaffordable? Certainly not! Three times or more like that was spent by Mr. Arthur Akuein (Former Finance Minister) on luxury cars for Ministers, Commissioners and big shots of the Government.
Then we have the below begging questions: why GOSS spending category in the budget has always been too high and the actual services too little? Why spend public money on individual luxuries and benefits? The oil money from 2006 alone is big money and could have built tarmac road in the City (Juba), built several hospitals for our ten states and even something for our reserve. We are abreast with those details, I presumed. Southern Sudan Government must not also be afraid to borrow. We won’t go long without good money or indebted along the way. Khartoum or the Government of National Unity (GNU) isn’t supporting development projects in the South for Agreement sake or sheer politics. That is another debate on its own. We are not hearing President or our dear Vice President opening up this project in that county or that, as is the case daily in the North. But there is one more case for GOSS leaders as to roads; where is that body for road management? The Southern Road Management Board or Fund. I thought we have one. How certain are we that the Minister won’t regionalize or monopolize this important service for his favor? Our Road Board Fund where we could expect balance and equitable distribution of road planning is of a necessity. I tend to think that the Cabinet ought to institute this body to overlook issues of unfairness and cheating in the services of roads.
Separately, as we approach the Commemoration Day (July 30) for the death of our leader, Dr. John Garang de Mabior, it’s expected that the Day get its strength from the book- law to proclaim it as Martyr Day or simply the Presidential decree. May be main roads, buildings and institutions should bear the name of this hero (Dr. Garang) from all our ten states and 100 or so counties. That is the best gift we could give Garang as a living lesson. May his soul rest in eternal peace!
* The author is based in southern Sudan. He can be reached at [email protected]