Poor Dilapidated Road Network is Undermining Service Delivery in South Sudan, the Government Needs to Fix Road Infrastructure
Poor Dilapidated Road Network is Undermining Service Delivery in South Sudan, the Government Needs to Fix Road Infrastructure
By Sr. Henriette Anne, FSSA
In December 2023, I spent 3 weeks in Mboko and Yambio, Western Equatoria State, South Sudan. The journey from Tombura airstrip to Ave Maria Parish in Ngboko was unbearable. The roads had no Maram, dangerous potholes, and due to heavy rains, they were hardly navigable because of mudslides and it seems like things have worsened since my last visit.
The Social Wing of the Diocese of Tombura-Yambio, also known as the Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CODEP), exists to promote socio-economic development and peace under the auspices of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio. This means one of its activities is to provide humanitarian support to those displaced due to conflict.
The poor road network in South Sudan is greatly affecting the delivery of services to the community, especially services offered by CODEP. On Sunday 1st September 2024, CODEP faced several challenges on the road including the track getting stuck several times as a result of the poor road network, and this made the drivers not to deliver the food items to the destination at the right time.
Transport represents one of the most important human activities worldwide. It is an indispensable component of the economies of countries. It creates valuable links between regions and economic activities, between people and the rest of the world. A better transport system allows more trade and a greater spread of people while poor road conditions and transportation systems hinder the movement of goods and people.
Among the many importance of transport is its key in specialization, allowing the production and consumption of products to occur in different locations.
Western Equatoria State is among the richest states in South Sudan. The landscape of Western Equatoria is characterized by lush greenery, with a mix of forests, savannas, and rivers. The region is part of the Nile basin, and the Yei River is one of the significant water bodies that flow through it. The state's climate is tropical, with a wet season that contributes to its fertile land, making it suitable for agriculture. Crops like cassava, maize, and sorghum are commonly grown, and the area is also known for fruit production, including mangoes and bananas. With all these blessings WES can feed good parts of South Sudan with its valuable products if the country has good roads.
Sr. Margret weeding her farm (Photo Credit; CDTY)
In 2021, the CDTY opened a Sustainable Agricultural for Rural Development (SARD) Institute with the sole objective of transforming a peaceful, food-secure, and economically enabled society through improved modern sustainable agriculture for rural development. Western Equatoria state is blessed with fertile land that needs no chemicals to rejuvenate the land for a better yield.
Young people have mostly been encouraged by the state government and the Church to embark on farming to do away with poverty and hunger, and on January 26th, 2023, bishop Hiiboro Kussala instructed all the parishes, and institutions under CDTY to have at least one-acre farm so that there may be food in the institutions and parishes, and the surplus to be converted into money.
All these efforts were welcomed by the institutions and parishes, the SARD Institute is working tirelessly to produce agriculturists for this noble task but the poor road network in South Sudan is hindering them from sharing their produce with the rest who are displaced.
CDTY farm produce
The government authorities, international donors, and NGOs should prioritize improving the road and better the lives of communities in these for CODEP to continue realizing its dream of serving the community.
Let us remember that roads are not only a medium to get travelers to and from whether we walk, ride, take public transportation, or drive private motor vehicles. Roads are where people meet and greet especially. In rural and inner-city communities, the road becomes an extension of people's households. Roads are a source of pride for community members and roads facilitate them traveling to their destination to make a livelihood.
