The road between Witto Payam and Mundri East County in Western Equatoria state - credit | Amadi FM

Authorities in Western Equatoria state and the UN mission in South Sudan have launched the rehabilitation of the 260 kilometer Yambio – Mundri road on Monday.

Over the past years, the trunk road has been a major challenge to motorists transporting goods from East Africa to Western Equatoria and Western Bahr El Ghazal states.

The road with a width of 4 – 6 meters shall be maintained by the Bangladesh engineering contingent of the UN Mission in South Sudan.

Speaking during the launch in Yambio town on Monday, Western Equatoria State deputy Governor, Dr. Kennedy Gaaniko encouraged the local population to cooperate with the engineering team.

“What is our role as the state government? One to inform our headmen and youth chiefs, different categories of the community to cooperate with the engineering team,” Dr. Gaaniko said.

“I give this as a clear directive to our technical person who is the DG of Roads and Bridges to make sure that there is good cooperation, to educate them and let them understand that this road is very important.”

However, UNMISS head of field office in Western Equatoria, Christopher Murenga, says the trunk road maintenance will help increase the economic activities across Western Equatoria.

Yambio – Mundri road connects the national capital Juba with Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal.

It was first constructed in 2010 with no other major maintenance.