Road accident in South Sudan leaves Ministers injured – spurring calls for better infrastructure

The Minister of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism, Rezik Zechariah Hassan, has revealed that he and several other government officials involved in a car accident are recovering well from their injuries.

The accident occurred on Wednesday, as vehicles carrying multiple top officials accompanying President Salva Kiir to Aweil town collided, causing visible damage.

National ministers, including the Minister of Culture, Nadia Arop, the Minister of Transport, Madut Biar, and the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Corneilo Kon, were among the survivors of the crash. The officials were flown to Juba for medical attention.

During a national television interview on SSBC on Friday, Minister Hassan disclosed that they sustained different multiple injuries, but they are responding well to treatment and will soon resume their duties.

He explained that the accident occurred while they were driving back to Aweil town, just 20 minutes out of Rayo and that they collided with the escort vehicles of Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi, which had been delayed by obstacles.

According to Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Minister of Information, William Anyuon, the accident was caused by poor visibility resulting from dusty roads.

The absence of a good road network in South Sudan has been identified as a significant cause of car accidents in the country. Inadequate road infrastructure, coupled with poor driving habits, has led to the loss of numerous lives in recent years.

The government must urgently address this issue to ensure the safety of citizens and prevent further accidents.