Africa-Press – South-Sudan. By Jacob Bol Mayar
Jonglei State Drivers’ Union has warned that transport charges for traveling between Bor town and Juba will likely double in the coming days as fuel prices continue to rise due to a shortage of the commodity.
Previously, a liter of petrol cost about SSP 350 but the same quantity now sells between SSP 650 to SSP 700 at several fuel stations in the state capital, Bor, according to the drivers’ union.
Deng Kur, Jonglei State Drivers’ Union Secretary-General told Juba Monitor yesterday that public transport operators were running at loss due to the hikes in fuel prices.
“last month we wrote a request to the government for transport fares to be increased because of fuel price increase and the government failed to respond to our request and now the fuel is doubling in price,” Deng decried.
Mr Deng urged the state government to regulate the prices of fuel in the market saying fuel traders have taken advantage of the lack of supervision and now sell the commodity as they wish.
Samuel Ateny Pech the Director of Revenue at Bor Municipality said the rise in fuel prices as due to scarcity of the commodity in the market. He said that fuel suppliers delay at the Ugandan side of the border due to a number of trade barriers including high tariffs imposed on suppliers by the latter.
“We as state government are trying to lobby the national government through Nilepet to supply the state capital, Bor with fuel to be sold it at affordable price in order to solve the fuel crisis in Jonglei State,” Mr Pech said.
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