Local authorities in South Sudan’s Western Bahr el Ghazal state said that license fees for traders have increased by 16%.

The authorities announced the increase after several citizens grumbled about increasing prices of commodities 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 attributed the rise in fees to security costs at the market and the country's economic crisis due to the war, which has forced the state to seek its own sources of revenue.

Lillian said the state cannot control prices of hard currency but disclosed that the national government has recently approved money for each state so essential goods including fuel and building materials are imported through renowned traders.