By Akot Akot Kuot Majok
Many economists agree that road transport is a vital element for improving the economic and societal welfare of any given population. The transportation system can overcome stagnation by increasing the marginal productivity of capital which gives incentives for new investments. The resulting spillover effects have stronger impacts than the transport infrastructure itself, the attraction of purchasing power induces an expansion process with increasing demand, rising income, population growth, and rural areas.
In my own point of view, the transportation system by itself can be able to create special impulses for an economic growth process and therefore road transport investment should be undertaken even if they are not economically viable the road network in the country has so many benefits to the citizens, investors, and the smooth running of government activities. It can facilitate the movement of goods and people, create employment, support economic growth, enhance access to education and health care services, as well as connect people to families.
But the benefits come with costs that have to be looked at. Although the link between roads and human development is not well-established in South Sudan, People from low-income countries demonstrate that communities living furthest from good roads experience higher levels of poverty, lower levels of school attendance, and worse health outcomes.
Commerce requires the transport of people to conduct business, either to allow face-to-face communication for important decisions or to move specialists from their regular place of work to sites where they are needed. Among the many modes of transport, road transport is the commonest. However poor road infrastructure hinders road transport and curtails societal development and mobility. Rural areas are places for the production of primary goods and services worldwide. Increases in sufficient roads in rural areas tend to increase access to agricultural inputs and markets, communication, and technology. In summary, our government should invest in a road network linking Greater Upper Nile States, Greater Bahr El Ghazal States, and Equatoria States to improve the living standards of people in the Country.
The Author is a Teaching Assistant, the Faculty of Economics and Social Studies, Upper Nile University. He can be reached via Email:akuot.1989@gmail.com/+211912800314/+211986666476