Africa-Press – South-Sudan. By Yiep Joseph
A number of traders in Yei local market decried double-dealing activities of some traders who registered as wholesalers but later turn to retailers.
These grievances came up during the five days market tour by Robert Pitia, the chairperson for state chamber of commerce.
Hellen KidenManas reaffirmed that a big threat to traders is double-dealing where some people pretend to be wholesalers but later act as retailers by lowering prices to the customers
“We also have this person here who give us the sugar let me say 10000 and they open it and they are selling it at 10000 and when we add something on it, no one buys from me, customers return to them as you can see there is a long line at the other shop,” she said.
Mary Abila Nyoka also complained about multiple taxes by the state authorities
“We are really suffering, we are not getting anything from the business we are doing, there is no money to even raise the small business we are doing high taxes are a problem” Kiden
“We are suffering because of insecurity in our villages we are not even farming and this has affected us much” she added.
She appreciated Robert Pitia, the chairperson state chamber of commerce for the visit.
Jean poni, a small retailer in Yei added that items are expensive in wholesale stock, a move that has made it hard for traders to benefit from their businesses.
“Things are very expensive at the wholesale, we buy them at very high prices if we add to get profit no one will buy from us, even those at wholesales also sell their items with retail price which is also a challenge,” she said.
Eric Daniel, a retailer, we as retailers are really suffering, some businessmen registered as wholesalers and later commodities to us at very high prices.
When we increase prices no one buys from us and they are controlling the markets?
“We have been complaining every time and no one is ready to solve for us this problem where some people registered as wholesalers and later sell with retail price” he said.
Rico Amandi reaffirmed that big threat to traders is double-dealing were some people pretend to be wholesalers but later act as retailers by lowering prices to the customers
In his response to the grievances, Robert Pitia, chairperson of Central equatoria chamber called the traders to be patient, citing that the authorities have started working on the possible solutions as justified by the tour that had started in Yei.
“We as government need to make an initiative to favor the local traders in Yei and South Sudan at large” Pitia said.
He promised that the visit will yield fruits citing that after the completion of the tour the state government will immediately sit down to solve some of the burning issues
“This my first visit to Yei to see the office of the chamber of commerce Yei river county and to see my traders in Yei river county, to hear their challenges” he explained.
“Traders are facing challenges especially the women these challenges need the attention of the government and state county and even the boma level” he added.
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