Juba-Nadapal road promises economic boost, says Taban
The Vice President and the Chairperson for Infrastructure Cluster, Taban Deng Gai, has said the Nadapal road linking South Sudan to Kenya would boost the economy of the country once construction is complete.
Deng was speaking during the official launch of a three-day workshop on the “Road Safety Program” which was organised by the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority (NCTTA).
Taban stressed the importance of roads, saying they would boost the economy and inter-state relations.
He reiterated that the Nadapal Road linking Kenya with South Sudan would reduce congestion at the Malaba border.
“This road will ease transport of goods and services to South Sudan and parts of the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,” Taban stated.
The vice president recommended that the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority should support river transport and ports development along the Nile.
He emphasised the importance of training South Sudanese in Juba to complement external training exercises in Kenya, which are meant for a few senior engineers.
Northern Corridor Transit Transport Coordination Authority (NCTTCA) was established to carry out transport services among member states to facilitate exports, imports, and the movement of people that enhance economic growth.
The workshop included a handover of one car to the road authority and safety gadgets to South Sudan’s traffic police.
The Northern Corridor is a multimodal trade route linking to the maritime port of Mombasa. It serves the East African Community (EAC) Member States of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda under the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Agreement (NCTTA) treaty, in a bid to promote regional cooperation by facilitating interstate and transit trade.
The agreement aims to promote efficient and competitive transport, foster inclusive transport, and ensure green freight transport along with road safety and security.
Over the years, traffic accidents caused by heavy commercial vehicles and long-distance passenger buses have been on the rise. Long distances, driver fatigue, and mechanical breakdown have been reported as some of the major causes of road accidents along the corridor.
The lack of adequate facilities for rest, medical care, maintenance, parking, and sanitation has had a serious effect on drivers using the Northern Corridor route.
The situation has also resulted in incidences of diseases such as HIV/AIDs, Ebola, and COVID-19 spreading across borders.
