Traders plying the Meiram-Aweil Road have decried exorbitant taxes imposed by collecting agencies along the commercial highway.

The complaints come about a month after the Sudan and South Sudan governments reopened main cross-border trade corridors to allow free movement of people and goods between the two countries.     

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, several traders in Aweil town and Warawar Trade Zone, said the huge taxes are affecting their businesses.

Mawia Mohammed Ahmed, a Sudanese trader based in the Aweil Town of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, said a truck owner pays 400,000 Sudanese Pounds to government officials in Meiram of Western Kordufan State, and 400,000 South Sudanese Pounds to the Aweil authorities.

“There are huge taxes charged by both sides.  As an importer of cement, other building materials and foodstuffs, Meiram authorities tax a truck with 400,000 Sudanese Pound and when it comes to Majok, 400,000 South Sudanese Pound is also paid,” Mr Ahmed disclosed. 

Another trader, Mohammed Abdalla, said there is a normal movement of passengers from South Sudan and Sudan via the route except taxes complications in Meiram.

“The Aweil-Meiram road is only active with normal passengers, but when it comes to commodities transportation; it has some issues in Sudan’s Meiram Locality, not in South Sudan. Many trucks are now parked there because around 300,000 Sudanese Pound tax is charged per a truck,” Abdalla added.

The traders appealed to customs officials of the two countries to collaborate with the investors and lower the taxes. 

Meanwhile, a member of the State Chamber of Commerce, Garang Athian said the high taxes have made them unable to gain profits.

“Taxes and customs have a great effect because they are high even if you import the goods from Sudan, you will not gain any profit and a merchant cannot sell the stocks in possible time so that he/she can import others,” Athian stated.

For his part, Northern Bahr el Ghazal Acting Minister of Trade and Investment, Bol Akuar Gamar admitted the challenges facing the business people and said the government is working hard to ensure the issues are resolved as soon as possible.

“The state government is aware of the random taxes and we have rejected those taxes when we visited many times because there are some organized forces harass the traders by taking the money from them illegally,” he said.    

“We are working hard to resolve the matter and the evidence is that the ministry of finance has changed its teams with new ones and this is part of the solution,” he added.