Sudan Minister of Roads and Transports Philip Thon Leek hints at rebuilding Kosti Port
March 18, 2008 (Kosti NSV) - The Minister of Roads and Transports-GNU, Philip Thon Leek Deng said on Tuesday there was urgent need of rebuilding Sudan's Kosti Port.
"Kosti is a meeting place for all Sudanese; from the south, west, east and the north. The Nile, railway and road link us all. This is a place to be developed urgently," said the minister, who is also former governor of Jonglei state who swapped posts with former minister of roads and transport Kuol Manyang Juuk.
Accompanied by the governor of White Nile state and his deputies, Thon Leek said his ministry had a grand plan to upgrade Kosti Port, saying it is vital not only for southern Sudan but the whole country.
Many South Sudanese IDPs find themselves stranded in Kosti on their way to South Sudan, where they were met by minister Thon Leek. He was faced with anger from IDPs where he urged them to be calm and patient as they waited for steamers heading to the south. "We are sorry for your stay here. Be patient we shall facilitate your going," he told them.
One enraged IDP woman said to Thon flatly to "take us away from here, we sold our houses, this is not our destination. Just take us home."
Kosti Port used to be the railway HQs for southern Sudan, western Sudan and eastern Sudan. With crisis in the River transport and railway sector, rescuing Kosti port is a daunting task to be tackled by the ministry of transport. However, if Kosti is to be developed urgently, it is going to be economically attractive to all Sudanese especially the southerners. That could be a recipe for attractive unity with economical balance in the country. At the moment, Kosti port offers pain than hope to thousands of the IDPs who want to go home desperately.
