The mayor of Rumbek municipality in Western Lakes State, Peter Maliap Chieng Malok has issued an order reducing prices of all the commodities in the market.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, Mayor Malok said the order seeks to ensure prices of food items in Rumbek market are lowered.

He said a 50kg bag of maize flour, which was initially sold at 110,500 SSP, is now 100,800 SSP, wheat now costs 10,000 SSP, a 20 liter jerrican of cooking oil costs 8,900 SSP while a 50kg bag of sugar is 12,000 SSP.

“Prices in Rumbek market are affordable to our citizens. We conducted a serious of meetings with traders in regard to prices and concluded that prices of commodities in Rumbek market must be reduced to give room for citizens to access daily needs,” said Malok.

He further said the order applies to maize flour, sugar, wheat, beans, cooking oil, lentils, rice, among other commodities.

“We have given the implementers the order and it is being implemented smoothly without complaints against it,” said Malok.

The mayor said they agreed that government takes over the dairy camp and rent to traders to avoid keeping cattle on auction for weeks or months.

“Also, we are registering all auction dealers doing businesses and they will be served with original licenses for their business operation in the auction. Another plan is under way to discuss with them the price of a cow in the auction and the possibility of reducing the price of a cow and that of a kilo of meat,” Malok explained.

Currently, a kilo of meat is 1,200 SSP.

Marial Achol Amuom, a butcher, said he sells a kilo of meat at 1,200 SSP, meat mixed with bones at 1,000 SSP and goat meat is 1,500 SSP.

Salah Addelraman Suleiman, a maize floor dealer, attributed the rising prices to bad road condition and high taxes.