Bor traders slam licence fee increases amid council denials
January 11, 2015 (BOR) – Hundreds of traders in Jonglei state capital Bor claim they have been hit by a significant price hike when renewing their trading licences.
A number of retailers and wholesalers spoken to by Sudan Tribune in Bor said the city’s municipal council was now charging fees of between 500 and 3,150 South Sudanese pounds (SSP) for trading licences, up from 300 to 2,000 SSP.
Guez Yohanes, who runs a beer and soft drink wholesale business in Bor, said he was forced to close his shop on Friday morning until he obtained a new trading licence.
Yohanes, who was expecting to pay no more than 2,000 SSP ($630), was caught by surprise when asked to pay 3,150 SSP ($1,000) for his new licence.
“When we went they said for the wholesaler you pay 3,150 SSP [and] for the retailers, 1,050 pounds; this money was too much for the traders and everybody was complaining about that,” said Yohanes on Sunday in Bor.
The reasons for the fee increase was not immediately clear, with traders claiming the municipality took the decision without informing business owners or the local chamber of commerce.
“It was done without consultation from us, without meeting our leaders. We were supposed to have a committee from the traders and from the municipal council to decide without harming the traders, without harming the businesses, without harming the people,” said Yohanes.
Mabior Kuol, an executive chief within the chamber of commerce, which represents local traders, said steps would be taken resolve the issue. with a letter of complaint to be sent to the Bor municipality council.
“I don’t know why they increased the licence fees this year. We will write the letter to them, to give us the time, then we [will] sit with them, we the traders, chamber of commerce, to discuss this issue,” said Kuol.
Meanwhile, acting mayor of Bor municipality Deng Akuei denied the fee increase, saying licence costs ranged from 100 to 150 SSP ($31.60 to $47.50) per month.
He said council had not received any complaints from local traders about the matter.
“We have just started and we are now going on normally; people are turning up for the renewal of their business licences,” he said.
“When you have no trading license then you may have difficulties with [the] administration of the town,” he added.
An official from the state ministry said it was not informed about any increases to licence fees, saying it was not part of the ministry’s role to participate in decision-making processes within the municipal council.
(ST)