Jonglei state: USAID funded road inaugurated

July 4, 2011 (BOR) – Jonglei state’s government inaugurated a road funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Friday July after its completion by Tiger two Construction Company.

The five kilometre road connects Bor town with Nomlaau fishing site, vegetable garden and small scale farms. Officials say it will help transport fish and local farm produces from Gakyuom north of Bor, Jonglei state’s capital.

South Sudan is due to celebrate her independence from North Sudan on Saturday 9 July. The region lacks basic infrastructure like roads making movement difficult.

Presiding over the function, Diing Akol Ding, the minister of local government in Jonglei state, said the road will help people in Gakyuom village to market their produce in Bor town. The state minister praised the contribution of the USAID in accelerating road networks across South Sudan noting if all villages were connected to main towns, the vision of taking the town to be people shall have been accomplished.

Taking services available in towns to rural areas is an long standing aim of the South Sudan’s ruling party the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, whose military wing the SPLA fought decades of civil war with Khartoum until a peace deal was signed in 2005, giving the region the right to secede through a referendum.

Measuring five kilometers in length and 11 meters in width the Bor town – Gakyuom feeder road is only a small step to address Jonglei state’s transport problems. Movement is made almost impossible the during rainy season due to poor roads.

The road construction was implemented by Luois Berger Group (LBG) through Tiger two Construction Co. ltd with funding from the USAID.

Bol Ajuong, a staff member of Rhino stars that worked in cooperation with Tiger two told Sudan Tribune during the celebration that lack of machineries, landmines, loamy soil, uncertain security and resistance from local community delayed the construction that began in February this year.

(ST)