By Bida Elly David
Clutch of South Sudanese merchants along Juba-Yei Road yesterday elevated concerns as the security situation worsened along the highway creating difficulties towards transfer of goods and passengers to states.
Speaking to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper yesterday, Geofrey Stephen, a driver who has been accessing Juba-Yei and Yei-Kaya highways amid commercial trips said that he has fallen several times into ambushes by a group of fortified young men causing a consequential loss of items that were owned by passengers whom he was ferrying.
“Some years ago, Juba-Yei Road used to be secure for motorists and drivers who ferried goods for commercial purposes but it has come to our notice that most drivers have been experiencing several attacks resulting into loss of their commodities, beating of passengers above all burning of vehicles if at all luck fails your way. We are currently worried to access the road regularly due to the passive insecurity.” Mokili said.
Geofrey pointed out that a group of armed men have been in hideouts in most bushes imposing attacks on roads linking Juba City to the states where transportation of passengers and essential commercial commodities has been done.
He said that the armed men have mostly been targeting traders known for transporting fundamental items such as consumer goods to subsidise their demands that they could not access in the wilderness.
Geofrey added that despite the availability of the government forces deployed along the highways, nothing developmental has been proficient especially by traders, drivers who embarked on commercial trips taking risk to access the roads to reach their destinations.
Peter Batali, a state pharmaceutical supplier pointed out that many clinics and hospitals in some of the states faced challenges due to shortage of drugs for most patients admitted where a number of mortal cases have been registered due to threats and attacks flapped against merchants in most high ways connecting Juba city to the states.
He added that unless government improved road infrastructure by providing continuous security services with no self-interest, commodity supply would not progress and citizens in the states would remain desperate.
“Based on the experience we got, many clinics and hospitals in some of the states faced challenges due to shortage of drugs for most patients admitted where a number of mortal cases have been registered due to threats and attacks flapped against merchants in most high ways linking Juba city to the states. Unless government improves road infrastructure by providing continuous security services with no self-interest, commodity supply would not progress and citizens in the states would remain desperate” Peter added.
Traders finally urged the government to work towards improving road security to enable traders provide services to the destitute citizens in the states.