The Kenyan petroleum cabinet secretary has urged South Sudan and Kenya to invest in roads to reduce distance and cost of doing business.

Currently, cargos en route to Juba from Mombasa cross either through Nadapal or Malaba, Busia, and Elegu – about 1,619km.

According to John Munyes, this has increased the cost of doing business, and distance with Juba.

“Oil transporters are asking ‘why do you take us through two borders instead of getting us through Nadapal and in a few hours you are in Torit and Juba?’” He told the participants of the fourth Oil and Gas Conference in Juba.

He called for speedy implementation of the Lapsset project to fast-track infrastructure development.

The project will comprise roads, railways, ports, pipelines, and special economic zones.

It will also connect South Sudan with Kenya and Ethiopia.

So far, the Kenyan government has constructed roads leading to the border with South Sudan.

Munyes believes it would be cheaper and shorter if the road was extended through Nadapal-Kapoeta-Torit and to Juba.