By James Innocent
The road rehabilitation across Yei town and surrounding areas is expected to begin soon following a meeting between County Commissioner Hon. Emmanuel Taban Seme and traditional chiefs, the Commissioner’s office said in a statement.
According to the office of the commissioner, the renovation process will be done with the help of partners, including the UNMISS.
Yei has been facing a lot of challenges in terms of infrastructure, as heavy rains destroyed most of the roads, including bridges.
Such a situation has made it very difficult for schoolchildren as well as motorists and drivers to go about with their daily activities.
On Friday the county commissioner and the partners discussed plans to clean major town roads and mobilize communities to support upcoming rehabilitation works.
Commissioner Taban welcomed the chiefs and local government authorities and urged them to ensure massive awareness.
“Showing readiness to create awareness among the public about the county’s cleanup and road improvement is vital,” the commissioner said.
The Executive Chief, Charles Lugala Bashir of Logo Boma, Otogo Payam, vowed to ensure the sensitization of communities toward road rehabilitation.
Lugala said chiefs had agreed to make some construction materials available without cash payment, describing the gesture as an in-kind community contribution toward the development of Yei.
In a separate statement, the local leaders appealed to the residents to allow contractors to operate freely when collecting gravel, murram, and other raw materials needed for grading and spot repairs.
County officials said that cooperation will help reduce costs and speed work when funding and machinery become available.
Rose Doru Simbe, the Payam Director of Yei Town Payam, disclosed that the United Nations mission in South Sudan is the partner that is going to rehabilitate the roads within the town up to the Yei airstrip.
Meanwhile, a civil society actor, Justoson Victor, applauded the commissioner of Yei River County for struggling with UNMISS to ensure that the roads within the county are renovated.
James Mugo Murihithi, the team leader for UNMISS in Yei, stated and revealed that the renovation will start soon.
“We are just waiting for some machinery from Juba headquarters, and if they arrive, we shall start from the Lutaya office, where the UNMISS base is located, up to the Yei airstrip, and we are going to clean the airstrip after completing the road coming from Lutaya to the airstrip.” He revealed.