South Sudan Traders’ Union Chairperson Promises To Tackle Skyrocketing Prices Dilemma

South Sudan Traders' Union Chairperson- Ayii Duang

By Agoth Abraham

AWEIL, May 5, 2015 [Gurtong] - Upon his visit to the state over the weekend, Ayii Duang Ayii met with over 2000 traders in Aweil to discuss the scarcity of goods and necessary measures to be taken to stock the market that has already run out of sufficient supply.

While addressing the traders at the South Sudan Hotel, Ayii said he is concerned with reports of challenges the traders are encountering in bringing in goods to the state.

“I know you are working under very strict and uncomfortable business circumstances where it takes one lots to supply different goods to this state, but I assure all of you that I will have to bring you the Letter of Credit [LC] to enable you do business with other businessmen/women from other countries in a short period of time.” He told the gathering of traders.

LC is a modern business category where one is awarded with lump sum amount of dollars for business purpose within a given period of time and after a specific set period of time the bearer comes back to the issuing agent for clearance.

On other hand, the chairperson underscored the security threats some traders go through and urged the government to avoid harassing business personnel as they are the source of social empowerment to the nation.

“There were reports that some traders were forced to sell their goods with the prices the government preferred. When they refused to comply with the request, their shops were closed and were taken to Matakalat [Arabic-word; detained]. This is not acceptable and must be avoided as soon as possible so that they sell freely.” He appealed to the state government.Duang urged the state government to allow for a free market.

“Business owners should be allowed to sell their commodities with what prices they like, because remember these prices are affected by those that they incurred during taxes and customs’ clearances must be added to the capital so that they don’t sell at a loss.” He added.

In response to the allegations on the state government, the Acting Governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, Mr. Salva Chol Ayat says the state government has now allowed the free pricing market without any interference from the government BUT warned that the traders must refrain from politics’ involvement.

“I have now assured every trader here that you can go ahead and sell your goods by any prices you like as long you make them available in the market. The detention in secret prison is something some business owners invite to themselves, because they like engaging themselves in politics and for that reason when they are caught, they must be detained where politicians are detained too. So if you don’t want problems for you, then be far from politics.” He warned.

In the traders’ presentations, they appealed to the state government and South Sudan Union of traders to provide them with agricultural bank, commercial foreign exchange where they can be able to access hard currencies at cheaper prices and as well allow them transfer local currencies to the countries they need goods from at lowest cost.

NBGS has been recently hit by scarcity of food stuff commodities as the main supplier, Khartoum blocked its commercial routes to South Sudan.

But it remains a major challenge for suppliers to bring in more goods as the cause is blamed on the deteriorating dollar rate against the local currency, South Sudan Pounds. 1 USD exchange rate is now 9 SSP while $100 dollars is equal to 900 SSP in the black market.