N. Bahr el Ghazal decries increasing food prices
By Ngor Arol Garang
July 28, 2011 (JUBA) – The government and people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal on Thursday decried increasing food prices and sent out an appeal for action to alleviate the crisis.
The state government in June hinted at the increase in food prices and attributed the cause to closure of roads linking the North and South Sudan. Southern authorities allege that the trade routes have been closed at the behest of Khartoum.
Mawien said the situation requires immediate international attention to reach out to those in distress.
He says the state government is “fully aware that this is a global issue,” in reference to international commodity price hikes, but that action was being taken by the government, in collaboration with the World Food Program and other collaborating partners.
Reverend Stephen Mayuen Mou, Secretary General in the Episcopal Church of Sudan for Aweil Diocese, who is currently visiting Juba, observed that there are several other contributing factors into food prices in the area.
He believes that the closure of the road linking North and South Sudan and the military takeover of Abyei by Sudan Armed Forces are contributing factor to the soaring food prices in the area.
“Internally displaced persons from Abyei are moving towards Aweil in large numbers. This has created a pressure on local resources and subsequently affecting local people who are determined to give a helping hand to their brothers and sisters displaced from Abyei”, said Mou.
He said he visited Peth in Aweil East County; Northern Bahr el Ghazal State in June, where he found that the prices for local grain was high. “It’s the highest price Aweil residents have ever experienced, even during South-North war of more than two decades.”
He explained that the price of grain has reached 12SDG (US$4.5) per kilo and was often not unavailable. Apparently during the civil war the price peaked at 7 SDG/kilo.
Mou said Aweil town, the capital of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, has recently received approximately 1,000 IDPs while Aweil East County and continues to host thousands of IDPs from Abyei. In Aweil, 1,000 IDPs are located in Malou-awer village, north of Aweil capital.
They have little food or shelter and limited medical attention from international health agencies, according to Mou.
He asked the state government to join with the Episcopal Church of South Sudan’s Diocese of Aweil to continue asking Christians worldwide to pray for those effected.
“Getting them plastic sheets shall protect them from heavy rain. Getting them food will restore their lost hope and providing them mosquito nets shall not only help but will safe all of them from mosquito bites and malaria as a deadly disease shall be prevented”, said Mou.
(ST)
Mi diit
N. Bahr el Ghazal decries increasing food prices
for sure we urgently need economic and currency experts to help us rescue ourselves from this looming situation in south sudan before it gets worse.
victor sani
N. Bahr el Ghazal decries increasing food prices
Dear All
the increasing of food price is not only Awiel county .is all over state in south sudan .
God bless.
Victor sani
Brobo
N. Bahr el Ghazal decries increasing food prices
we need more money be put in agriculture it’s backbone of of government and society and our economic instead of spending much money on public administration.
so if the community are expected to face these all stiff competition foreign investors especially retail business.
let we think about it
Garang Mathiang
N. Bahr el Ghazal decries increasing food prices
The increase of food prices is affected by road block between north and south and the influx of returnees,but our tax collectors in local markets are also contributing on their high taxation-they should consider the impact to especially on consumable materials not to be taxed otherwise……
Deng Gau
N. Bahr el Ghazal decries increasing food prices
Ngor Arol,
Brother Ngor, it is really a crazy inflation in Northern Bahr el Ghazal not Fluctuating but increasing at daily basis.
Imagine if 100kgs of sorghum cost SDG 110 before May compare to the current prices SDG 300 per 100kgs, SDG 200 per 50kgs of maize and wheat flour, and expected more inrease of prices of the commodities in Northern Bahr el Gazal. People from host community plus high number of returnees are suffering alot in NBG State, but there is no clear strategy from Government of NBG State to solve this situation.
There are so many factors led to this situation:
1. The Fluctuating blocke of North-South Road due to economic sanction declared By al Bahsir against the southerners.
2. Local opportunist traders ( They sell goods at the prices that exceed the cost of goods sold by 100% or more). Because they think that it is their opportunity to gain more profits in short time.
3. High tax levied on commodities by State revenue authority.
The goverment of Northern Bahr el Ghazal Especially what so called state revenue authority led by Mr. Mareng Chuor, the state revenue commissioner.
This authority levied a very high taxes on the food items which result to the high prices of these commodities.
Another thing is that the commission has employed uneducated personnel in tax collection points of the don’t know what are the types of taxes to be appropriate in this critical time.
The types of taxes are:
1. Personal income tax (Pit).
2. value added tax ( VAT)
3. pool tax- this is levied on a person whether you have or not you must pay it, a very old type of British and Roman taxes levied on their slaves now in NBG State is refered to as House hold tax with out clear objective or what to be done with this taxes and no bill passed yet in the State legeislative assembly, I salute the State MPS for they stoped this kind of non defined taxes last April 2011.
Mr. Ruay the minister of finance was summoned by State legislative assembly concerning this unfair taxes, mr. Ruay did not justify this taxes and wise decision was taken by the Honourable members to stop this unfair taxes.Bravo our Mps.
4. Tool tax- this tax is paid to cross the border of the state to enter another state.
5. Sales tax- it is a tax on the goods which include Luxery good- and Necessary goods are exempted in the similar situation of our new borned Country (South Sudan)
All this types of taxes our local revenue authorty doesn’t know what type of taxes they are appling now.
In the economic theory the high taxes of commodities the final consumer a tax payer, the consumer suffer from tax.
Another point is that there are heavy good with low value and light goods high value.
But this uneducated people they only look at the trucks, when a truck of goods stop you see them rushing to it, they don,nt know that goods with high value than truck can be carry by hand bag e.g Gold, mobile phones etc.
My advice to the Government of South Sudan and epecially NBG state government to:
-Exempt food items from taxes.
– Monitor the food market on daily basis.
– set the appropiate food prices.
-Seek for humanitarian assistant.
– Open the state food security strategy warehouses if the have- in order to break the market monopolized by opportunist.
Regards
Deng Gau
NBG State.
mohammed ali
N. Bahr el Ghazal decries increasing food prices
Some of you call us the real enemy and said that they celebrated relationship with Isreal just to hurt us! Now you are crying.
Well…enjoy your enemosity and hatred!
It is really sad and very unfortunate that the needy, starving and the poor and marginalized will have to suffer. The fat SPLA cats and their kittens are far away enjoying the petro-dollar!
Deng Gau
N. Bahr el Ghazal decries increasing food prices
Mohamed Ali.
You and your criminal leader will face and stand suffering before the ICC.
Now is better lets enjoy our freedom, this economic situation is not a matter in South Sudan, because we were in economic crisis since Ismael Azhari upto this criminal- Al Bashir.
it is not a surprise to us because we grown up with conditions.
Your big stomach leaders are crying not for they lost South but resources.
We have resources, if it is a matter of market it easy.
I think in North our friends will come up- Marginalised people of Darfur sons of Ali Dinnar, Nuba mountains sons of Baa’nky and Adam Umdiballu, and Al funj sons of Amarra Dunguss and even the easterners of Great Othman Digna.
These people knows the brotherhood and interests of both nations.
Ali you know that your traders will protest very soon against the government of al kezan because South is their market if the government of ROSS closed the border then you and Bashir will be taken to ICC.
Mohamed ya coz you are supporting the most foolish president, to prove this statement: Bashir was asked a very simple question by journalist: Mr. president there are some aligations accuses you of killing 300,000 in Darfur? Imediately Al bashir answered with anger: who said that? I did not killed 300,000 but only 10,000. I magine with me all visitors of S.tribune is that mind deserve to be head of state? killing people and say only 10,000 people
Another NCP foolish man is Salaha al gossh. he said 2006 in a press confrence at Khartoum ( the underground is better than out for us rather than UNIMID come to Darfur), but at last UNAMID came to Darfur. What a stupid polititians you have?
ICC oyeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Chier Akueny
N. Bahr el Ghazal decries increasing food prices
Deng Gau, You made me not control sensation of laughing really. Mr. Bashir doesn’t know how to control people for sure. A person may feel angry like he does but the solution is to solve the situations. Now, I tell you that things are out of hands for President Bashir of North and I hope other tribe rather than Arabs will rule this country of North.
Look!We are innocent that is why all the countries of UN, African Union, Israel and others accepted us immediately to join the group but it can take North 2 decade and much more to join all these. Fine, we are winning!
Bashir must see, although it remain two states fighting his government, so, people hope these two states to win by force and he is going to hell.
Chier
mohammed ali
N. Bahr el Ghazal decries increasing food prices
Gau ,
Enjoy you freedom and resources . That is good for you, we are not bothered and happy for you.
Of course you are enjoying the looted money in the best flat during this nice summer.
We and the poor starving marginalized southerners are very happy in our land enjoying the rain and the scorching heat. WE are still happy because we live with pride and dignity somethings asylum seekers are lacking!
Chanson
N. Bahr el Ghazal decries increasing food prices
M.Ali move your Arabs asshole out of our affiars.We are not crying you idiot.People are talking here about price soaring not crying.About I sreal since you are Muslim do you expect us to have strong relationship with Iran as your dirty party is now transporting IRG and Somalia outlaw malitia to come and get ride of our brother in South Kordufan.We will not leant back and watch them dying damn you.Fuck Arabs.