JUBA-Local authorities of Magwi County of Eastern Equatoria State are mobilizing funds to construct Atebi and Amee bridges connecting the country with Uganda, official said on Tuesday.
The Atebi Bridge was washed away by heavy rains in August this year cutting off residents from accessing their farms, healthcare services and schools.
The Amee Bridge collapsed in 2022 and has since been impassable – cutting off Magwi farmers from the Juba-Nimule Highway and forcing them to take the long, costly and perilous Torit-Juba Road.
Pole Pole Benjamin, Commissioner of Magwi County, told Sudans Post on Tuesday that plans are underway to construct the two bridges linking communities to basic services and farmlands.
“We have already made the assessment with the engineering team, together with the Eastern Equatorial State Road Authority, and in partnership with the National Road Authority, the Ministry of Road and Bridges,” Benjamin said.
Benjamin said they have started mobilizing resources to fund the construction of the two lifesaving bridges.
“We did the assessment, and it is just a matter of time, the bridge of Owiny-ki-bul will be constructed. So, we are also now mobilizing the resources to fund the bridge construction,” he said.
He called on national and state governments to renovate the roads connecting the communities of Magwi, Amee, Owinykibul, Pageri, Aruu to border areas of Ngomorombo and Tenten to ease movement.
“I am appealing to the National and State authorities, the humanitarians, the community, the Republic of South Sudan to help us in building these roads.”
He said rehabilitating roads will help boost the transportation of goods and service delivery to grassroots populations.
“It is linking even the businesspeople to the market. So, this is why I am saying it has to become a concern that we really need to create this road so that our community uses it,” he said.
