Local authorities in South Sudan’s Western Bahr el Ghazal State said that they have received 3 million US dollars from the national government to help import food commodities.
Citizens in the state have been grumbling about increasing prices of commodities and scarcity of some goods at the market and local traders complained about the unfavourable exchange rate of South Sudanese pound against the US dollar.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Western Bahr el Ghazal Minister of Finance Lillian Valentino Rizig said the National Ministry of Finance released money for each state so essential goods are imported through renowned traders.
The hard currency approved by the National Ministry of Finance is from a loan from a Qatari bank, according to Lillian.
“As I speak now, there are vehicles coming with food items. Over 15 vehicles entered the state yesterday and today maybe 20 others vehicles are coming with goods,” she said.
The money is meant to reducing soaring prices and scarcity of some goods at the market. The minister predicted the prices of commodities will reduce in the coming few days.
File photo