Gov’t approved an additional $25 million for the Juba-Rumbek route.

The government has authorized an extra $25 million in financing for the continuing building of the Juba-Terekeka-Rumbek expressway.

According to Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth, the funds would boost the original budget of more than 711 million US dollars.

“After doing extensive research and taking into account all other expenditures, the ministry determined that the true amount of contact should have been 736, 533, 725 US dollars,” Makuei told reporters in Juba.

Juba and the Beijing-affiliated Shandong Hi-Speed Company reached an agreement in March 2019 that requires the former to produce 30,000 barrels of crude oil per day to pay the project’s costs.

However, the project was delayed the next year when severe rain washed away portions of the road’s construction.

The administration was forced to appoint a committee to examine the terrible situation.

According to the inquiry committee, the contract was technically incomplete since it did not include bridges, crossing locations, or compensation for people impacted by the construction.

Speaking to reporters following the weekly cabinet meeting on Friday, Michael Makuei Lueth, Minister of Information, said the council of Ministers agreed on the extra cash to fulfill unanticipated requests.

“That is the true price, which is the cost of the road from here (Juba) up to Rumbek,” he continued.

Meanwhile, when sections of the highway were swept away by rushing water, Shandong Hi-speed blamed the damage on an “unexpected” flood that surpassed the hydrological data acquired during the study.

However, a group of attorneys vowed to sue the Ministry of Roads and the Shandong Hi-Speed Company for what they called inadequate road conditions.

Kush Advocates & Solicitors has petitioned the government and the firm to explain the damage and failed to plan the road properly.

They also urged that the contract between the corporation and the government be made public in the public’s interest.

However, Minister Makuei said on Friday that construction on a route connecting Terekeka to Rumbek in Lakes state is proceeding.

According to a government spokeswoman, the 63-kilometer Juba-Terekeka segment of the highway route has already been tarmacked by Shandong Hi-speed Company.