Tarmac on Juba-Rumbek road was partially washed away by rain water in May 2020 | Credit | Courtesy

The Infrastructure Cluster of the cabinet says Shandong High Speed – Nile Investment and Development is not an experienced company to construct the Juba-Bahr el Ghazal Highway.

This is after Vice President Taban Deng – who leads he cluster received a report from the minister of roads and bridges on the findings of a committee tasked to review the construction of Juba – Rumbek highway.

The 392 km project that connects Bahr El Ghazal Region is being constructed by Shandong Hi-Speed Group Corporation over a three-year period.

Construction of Juba – Rumbek highway was suspended in June over quality concerns – after heavy downpour swept away some sections of the road.

President Salva Kiir then fired the Presidential Affairs Minister, Mayiik Ayii, over what he described as poor supervision of the project.

Subsequently, the Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan, Hua Ning said that the company will make the necessary changes to improve the quality of the highway.

Speaking to the press, roads minister Simon Mijok Mijak told the media that the infrastructure cluster now considers Shandong High-Speed as an inexperienced company.

“The contract was awarded to Shandong High Speed – Nile Investment and Development, and the initial discussion was with Shandong High-Speed group which is the parent company. So they have created a new subsidiary in South Sudan. According to the committee, they considered the company implementing the project as an inexperienced company,”  explained the roads minister.

Minister Mijok, did not reveal much from the committee’s findings but said Vice President Taban Deng urged the Ministry of Roads and Bridges to ensure quality construction of the road.

The highway is being financed through a 700-million-dollar deal to be paid gradually through the lifting of 30,000 barrels of crude oil per day.