Northern Bahr el Ghazal completes major road maintenance works

February 20, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s border state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal has completed repairs and maintenance on its main arterial roads, easing movement of goods and people across the region, according to the state ministry of physical infrastructure .

In an exclusive interview with Sudan Tribune on Tuesday, minister Angelo Uguac said roads linking the state capital, Aweil, with Aweil West, Aweil Centre and surrounding areas had now been completed.

“This is a significant development to our people because, as you know, this is a main lifeline road to our people who do not have access to Central Africa or other neighbouring countries in the region to access essential commodities,” said Uguac.

“Most of the goods come from Sudan, which was why it was important to repair and maintain this road because it connects people in areas which are close to [the] Sudanese border side with Aweil town and beyond,” he added.

Those requiring services in Aweil town and beyond, particularly medical attention, will now have better access.

Improvements to the roads will also allow for the rapid deployment of security forces if necessary, the minister said.

Uguac said many residents had breathed a collective sigh of relief after road works were completed, saying it would help facilitate the movement of people and services in a much more efficient manner.

“We are finally at the point where we can come to an event in Aweil town and return home later in the evening without having to worry about the state of [the] road previously filled with deplorable potholes [that] we have been struggling to dodge during the daytime,” Aweil taxi driver Garang Dut Tong told Sudan Tribune on Friday.

“We commend the minister and the caretaker governor for hearing our pleas and repairing this road. These are the services the citizens want from the government. We need roads to repaired and maintained like this,” he added.

Tong, who lives in Nyamallel, the administrative headquarters of Aweil West county but works in Aweil town, explained that he had been forced to stop using the road prior to the works as it was in such a bad state that it was causing damage to his vehicle.

(ST)