President of South Sudan Salva Kiir has instructed the Ministers of Interior, Defense and National Security to remove illegal checkpoints along the roads from Juba into other states of South Sudan.
“I warn these illegal multiple checkpoints will affect our developmental partners, therefore I directed the ministers of interior, security and the defence to remove all these road blocks to allow the humanitarian relief trucks to take relief to our people,” Kiir said.
The president made the order during the closing session at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs on Monday. This came after organizations such as the World Food Programme (WFP) complained of facing illegal taxation and extortion at checkpoints manned by government force along roads.
Mike Sackett, WFP Country Director in South Sudan, stated that on some routes drivers encountered more than 50 roadblocks. He said this was affecting the delivery of aid relief to the affected people.
At some checkpoints security personnel were charging as much as 6,000 SSP per truck. Sackett explained that this was making their work difficult and making it impossible to access some areas with food relief.
Photo: President Salva Kiir Mayardit speaking during the launching of Food Security Council in Juba (Radio Tamazuj)