The bushes along Aru Junction-Lobonok road. Credit|Facebook/Lo'bonok Payam Council

Economist Dr. Abraham Maliet Mamer has linked the significance of proposed 402 million US dollars for the construction of Juba-Lobonok-Moli road project to plans for gold exploration and broader economic development.

An Advisor in the Office of the Vice President for Economic Cluster, Dr Maliet explained that the road will connect Juba to Lobonok and extend to Moli, facilitating access to mineral-rich areas and boosting local trade.

“I saw there are deposits of gold. I cannot talk about the quantity, how much it is, but I can attest that there is gold there. The gold is not not explored, nobody digs it. People go and pick it”, he said.

Speaking to Eye Radio about the project, Dr. Mamer revealed that gold deposits in Lobonok remain largely untapped due to poor road infrastructure, which deters investors and hampers security.

“I even myself participated and picked myself one or two small gold. So there is gold there. But because of the bad roads, you know Kit one and Kit Two all pass through Lobonok and they are very rough rivers. So, you can never get to the bottom of this.

“No investor will come if there is no road, and because of the absence of good roads, it also brings insecurity because these guys (armed people) are roaming here and there, so they can actually ambush anybody coming there. So that’s why the gold cannot come to Juba.

“But if you build roads there, then there is security access and good roads will bring good security responses.

“Also with the gold now, you can be able to map it and quantify it, and then now invite investors, because you assure them that there is access, there is security, and so on.”

The economist emphasized that the road will not only support mineral exploration but also unlock the region’s agricultural potential.

“Alongside gold  in Lobonok, there is a huge agricultural potential. I also have seen that. If we get this road done, then we will be able to benefit from the local produce to Juba.

“So, Juba-Lobonok-Moli Road, I think, can contribute greatly to bringing the consumption together with the production. So, that is my take. Another thing that I want to add. It has not been approved yet” he stressed.

Dr. Mamer clarified misconceptions about the project’s funding, noting that the $402 million budgeted for the road is yet to be approved.

The proposal will undergo further review by the Ministry of Roads, the Economic Cluster, and Parliament before implementation.

He also highlighted the long-term benefits of the project, including enhanced security, local trade, and community development.

The Juba-Lobonok-Moli road is expected to transform the region by improving access, boosting economic activity, and fulfilling the vision of bringing development to rural areas.