Citizens in South Sudan’s capital Juba are complaining about increasing prices at the market as the pound yesterday dropped to its lowest level yet against the US dollar.

Currency traders in the black market yesterday were exchanging at 8.5 pounds to the dollar while the official rate at banks remained 3.16.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, several citizens expressed discontent about deterioting living conditions in Juba.

Traders attributed the increasing prices of commodities to the unfavourable exchange rate which makes it difficult for them to import goods.

Chamber of commerce at Konyo Konyo market Jamal Hakim Wani said the weak pound caused the problem.

“We toured the market, and we found out that there is a problem of dollar. The dollar is the problem that caused food shortages in the country,” he said.

Jamal called on the government to reduce the price of dollars for traders. He also called on the citizens to embark on agriculture instead of relying on oil revenues.

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