The poor road connectivity in Leer County of Unity State is hampering routine patrols by the Ghanaian peacekeeping battalion.
‘’The main challenge for now is because of (poor) roads, you could witness the road to the airport is so bad, the roads are very bad and this restricts our movement,’’ said Omane Agyekum, the Commander of the Ghana Battalion of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan while addressing journalists on Thursday in Leer County.
He said that often find difficulty in accessing supplies and reinforcement for their peacekeeping activities due to impassable roads.
Agyekum said the Leer County Commissioner and brigade commanders of the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) are in coordination with the Ghanaian battalian on security.
‘’We have very good relationship with the leadership and the community, we conducted short and long duration patrols to ensure that everybody is safe in the community, escort activities and also secure the airport when they are receiving resupply,’’ he said.
Stephen Taker Riak Dong, the Leer County Commissioner said that the Ghanaian peacekeepers stationed at the Leer Temporary Operating Base are working cooperating with the local leadership.
‘’The most affected place by floods is Leer County, the floods have affected many areas across Leer, we have 77,000 people affected in the whole County,” he said.
In May 2024, prior to increase in the water level in Leer County, Dong formed a task force to spearhead the construction of dikes. He added that the state government has donated 10,000 sandbags for the reinforcement of dikes.
Dong said that Leer County is experiencing a lot of problems that could have been difficult to manage without the presence of the Ghanaian peacekeepers.
Leer is cut off by devastating floods emanating from Adok river port and also from Bentiu which is the state headquarters.
‘’Our problem is the road between Leer and Adok, it is already cut off by water and we are working manually to make sure the vehicles move in the coming months between Leer Piliny and Adok,’’ said Dong.
The Leer Temporary Operating Base established by the Mongolian peacekeeping battalion following renewed violence in 2016.
