The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Minister of Infrastructure and Public Works, John Banza, announced that repair work on the Gemena-Akula road will begin before the end of October to ease severe supply shortages that have crippled economic activity in South Ubangi province.

Banza said the government has already disbursed funds to repair both the Gemena-Akula and Ndongo roads.

The announcement followed his October 7 meeting with Senator Nadine Boboy, who urged the immediate repair of the two routes, warning that their poor condition was cutting off vital supplies to Gemena. She said the roads are now impassable for trucks, leaving passengers stranded overnight in the open. The return of seasonal rains has further worsened the situation, making traffic nearly impossible.

The 117-km Gemena-Akula road connects Gemena to the Akula river port, the main shipping point for agricultural goods headed to Kinshasa and other cities. Its repair is seen as essential to restore traffic flow and support local trade.

This latest pledge builds on earlier maintenance work launched in July by the National Road Maintenance Fund (FONER) on the same stretch. That project, financed at $681,829.96 and carried out by the Road Office, was scheduled to last 90 days, weather permitting. At the time, only 50% of the funds had been released, with the rest expected in the following weeks.

‎Ronsard Luabeya