By Yien Gattuor Mead Kuich
Several residents of South Sudan’s Unity state have raised concerns over double increase in prices of consumable goods since last month, blaming it on the war in Sudan.
Speaking to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, residents of Bentiu, the Capital of Unity state, expressed experiencing hard living conditions due to increase on commodity prices day by day.
The resident urged the state government intervene to reduce the prices before matter leads to insecurity.
Rhoda Gatkek, from an Internally Displaced Person’s (IDP) camp in Bentiu, attributed the increasing commodity prices to the conflict in Sudan that started a month ago.
“I used to go to market to buy items in sector two markets on daily basis, the commodity prices are increasing daily, like 1kg of sugar is now 8000 SSP, maize flour, 1kg is 7000ssp, goat’s meat 1kg is 1200 SSP and cooking oil 1litres is 4,000SSP” she narrated.
In the last two months, 1kg of sugar was 1500SSP, 1kg of maize flour was 1400ssp, 1kg of beef 1000SSP and oil 1litre of cooking was 2000SSP.
“Now, I am still wondering with my state government in this matter. I have nothing to say to traders because Unity State has no road accessibility to the capital city of South Sudan Juba.” She lamented.
Jal Juach Teny, another resident of Bentiu IDPs camp, also lamented that “there is not enough money for me to buy expensive commodities. I don’t have a job to save lives of my family that is the reason,”
He said the current situation in Unity State is very difficult for people who are not working in any department.
“It happened during Sudan conflict, at same time road from Bentiu to Sudan was blocked by Sudan conflict, the situation in Bentiu IDPs camp and Bentiu town is getting worse due to increase in the commodity prices,” he said.
“I am requesting the government of Unity State to reconstruct the road from Mayom County to Juba. This is where our commodity prices will reduce.”
He said that after two weeks, the Bentiu IDPs camp market including Rubkona market will be closed as all routes have been affected by different factors, the flood and Sudan war.
Abdugazi Suliman, a trader in Rubkona market, said that there’s no road, accessible for transportation of commodities from Juba to Bentiu that is why all the commodities are getting expensive.
“We are appealing to the government of Unity State to construct the road from here to Juba. For the last one month, the prices were better than the ones of today,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Nyamal Dang, tea seller at Leer County, told No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper on Wednesday that commodity prices there increased too, and it disrupted her business.
“I used to sell tea in Leer market, but my business has been affected by prices of sugar because I use to buy a kilogram of sugar at 600 SSP, now it has increased,” Nyamal explained.
” A cup of tea is 200ssp, a cup of coffee at 350ssp, a cup of milk tea 400ssp. Am getting nothing from tea that is why I am NOT selling because all my interest is being used for buying Sugar.” She stressed.