The head of the Chamber of Commerce in Maban County in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state said insecurity around the markets is a major challenge facing the traders in the county.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, the chairman of Maban Chamber of Commerce John Nogi Kaba explained that traders have themselves hired a patrol unit to protect the markets from thieves at night.

“The Chamber of Commerce usually collects an amount of 500 pounds from traders every day and pays the police who guard the markets at night,” Kabo stated.

He pointed out that several theft cases have been recorded in the period that has followed the outbreak of the conflict in December last year.

Maban County has not seen major clashes between different armed factions like in other parts of the state, but it has seen an influx of displaced and worsening general security and criminality.

The trade official explained that the rainy season as well as heavy taxes have caused rises in the prices of commodities in the county. The routes to the south remain closed, but supplies can still come via Renk, Ethiopia and Blue Nile.

“A kilogram of sugar currently costs 10 SSP and a kilogram of onion reached 100 SSP, whereas the sack of salt rose to 180 SSP,” he explained.

File photo: Bunj Market