By Ephraim Modi D.S
The Governor of Central Equatoria State, Emmanuel Adil has on Friday commissioned the construction of the road connecting Terekeka to Tali through Tindilo in Terekeka County.
The construction of the road is being funded by the State government and implemented by Point Investment Limited, a local South Sudanese company to ease the movement of people and goods between Terekeka, Tindilo and Tali.
The occasion was also witnessed by the Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly Peter Wani Elia, State Minister of Cabinet Affairs Wayi Godwil, State Minister of Roads and Bridges Mawa A. Moses, Commissioner of Terekeka County James Lino Malou, among other State government officials, local chiefs and residents.
Speaking at the launch, Governor Adil clarified that the construction of Terekeka- Tindilo-Tali road is the first project of road construction in his State affairs which connect to other states to boost the economy.
“Honestly Terekeka road connecting Tindilo Tali it has been the first State infrastructural development plan. It has been in our plans to ensure that the road is worked on to connect us with other states. For this reason, agricultural activities and economy would be of great importance. This road will help two third of business people to access the road without any challenges,” Governor Adil explained.
The governor commended the State Council of Ministers for agreeing and approving the initiative for construction of the road infrastructure in Terekeka, saying leadership is not position that determines personality but the legacy is paramount.
He also applauded efforts manifested by Point Investment, especially the engineers towards exercising the construction of the road which he referred to as a reputation of their services that determine their work.
“I would like to affirm you the residents of Terekeka that, although the construction of the road moves slowly, we shall accomplish it without fail and if we finish the project, we are going to find a way through which trading activities will be facilitated easily from here to Juba especially transporting fish from here to the city.” Governor Adil assured the State Government commitment towards achieving the road project,
“I am urging you people to commit yourselves to work towards improving the road. If you don’t use much of your efforts to work, there is no way you will generate income to support your families and develop the County. It is through better roads that we will have access to commercial activities,” he underscored.
Adil further stressed that the road once completed will enhance tourist attraction to the area for people from different ends of the world.
“Through these roads, we will be able to have tourists’ attraction centers where people come from overseas come for recreation. In the future, we will have an airport established here,” Adil noted.
The State Minister of Roads and Bridges, Mawa A. Moses in his remarks at the event stated that the construction of the particular road was the first communication he made to office of the governor upon his appointment to coordinate affairs of the ministry in the State.
“The first memo that I summited in my line as State Minister of Roads and Bridges, was the memo for Terekeka-Tali-Tindilo road,” he told the gathering at the event.
Minister Mawa urged the locals to cooperate with the engineers while they work on the road which is estimated to be a distance of approximately 145 kilometers long.
Meanwhile the Commissioner of Terekeka County James Lino Malou welcomed the operationalization of the project saying it will solve most of the challenges they have been facing.
“It has been a while that Terekeka-Tali-Tindilo lacked a good infrastructure to transport passengers and goods from the town to the payams and the County but with the construction project we are initiating, we hope that we have good road that annex the County, payams and bomas. People will be carrying their activities without any challenge,” Commissioner Malou expressed hope on the project.
“Government officials have also been affected in one way or the other. Every time they wanted to reach services to the people, they could not make it through, due to the same situation of the roads. Many citizens have been missing medical, educational and commercial services based on the same scenario” he added.
“Through good roads, medicines and food can be able to reach the people and we need to assure you that government is committed to ensure that all the roads in Central Equatoria State are constructed and put in use for easy transportation,” he asserted.
Commissioner Malou however urged the citizens to join hands with government to ensure quick constructions of the road to boost transportation of commodities and passengers throughout the State and its neighborhood.
For his part, the Executive Director of Point Investment Company Eng. Lemi Stephen William pleaded with the citizens to contribute at their capacity to ensure the success of the project.
He further revealed that the construction of Terekeka, Tindilo and Tali road will cost 8 million South Sudanese Pounds only whose initial cost was 24 million South Sudanese Pounds if the State government would finance.
Eng. Stephen said the project is for two years but would be finished within a year depending on timely disbursement of the money by the State Government. The locals expressed happiness over the project which attracted lots of traditional music performances and advocating to the government their music songs to deliver more services like water and health projects to its citizens.