Bulldozer pulls down illegally erected structures in Juba in 2013|Photo|Eye Radio

People whose houses are on a road leading to a new bridge in the Juba’s Lologo area are vacating their homes.

The residents who have been allotted new plots in Amadi area have raised complaints that the new area is far from government services.

They said it is without proper consideration that the government decided to relocate them to a place without road, water or a health center.

“We’ve been compensated as per size of our plots; we were given money and plots. But the plots that were allocated to us are far. It will take about 3 years before people can move to those plots, because they are far away from development,” said the group’s representative who declined to be identified.

However, Central Equatoria State’s acting Minister of Physical Infrastructure David Lokonga said that those affected should immediately move to Amadi area:

“People have to move and the government will follow them with these facilities. But not that taking facilities to the bush yet people are remaining behind.”

This year, the Japanese government offered a grant assistance of approximately $120 million for the construction of a new bridge along the Nile River and the rehabilitation of Juba River Port.

The new bridge is expected to relieve the heavy reliance on the current old bridge –which is the only port of entry for goods from East Africa.