New road under construction between Lakes and Unity State

By Bonifacio Taban Kuich

April 13, 2012 (BENTIU) – The construction of a road between the capital of Rumbek East County of Lakes State and Payinjiar County of Unity State will have a positive impact on security, community relations and the local economy when it is completed, officials said this week.

South Sudan’s Vice President, Riek Machar, is currently visiting the area as part of a peace process between Lakes, Warrap and Unity which have suffered from cross border raids and cattle theft since South Sudan became independent last year.

On Tuesday a group of engineers from Civicon Construction Company visited Payinjiar County on Tuesday to survey the site of the road where they were welcome by Peter Gai Joak the area’s commissioner.

The engineers said that building the 55km road between Amongpiny, in Rumbek East County to Payinjiar County would not take long.

A local chief from Amongpiny payam [district] of Rumbek East Lakes State commended the road as he said it would make it easier for the security services to patrol the area once it is completed.

Joak said he was delighted because it is the first time since he was appointed two years ago that people from had visited his area from Rumbek East County traveling by vehicle.

He added that the road would improve local business’ ability to trade and control the security situation between communities along the border. Poor transport links are one of causes of rising food prices in the young developing nation.

Joak added that, ”we are one community and the only problem that creates all these insecurity between two states is lack of no access of roads and communication network”.

The commissioner urged the construction company to speed up their work as the rainy season is fast approaching.

“In fact there is nothing that can prevent us from resolving all these issues in the border because we are cousins, nephews and relatives, divided only by the distant and lack of resources, now realising that we fall under one umbrella, we need to follow the right path instead of the bad one”, the commissioner concluded.

Payinjiar is one of the poorer of Unity State’s nine counties but there is hope when that when South Sudan’s new capital Ramciel is built in the south of Lakes State the area will develop faster due to its proximity to the national capital.

(ST)