Any trader who is rejecting one and five pound notes in Aweil East will be arrested, an official has warned.

This comes after many reports of traders refusing to accept the small notes.

The Director-General at the Ministry of Finance, Athian Athian Dut, says some traders have been complaining that the small notes “have lost value” and are filling their stores while there is no proper banking in the area.

Mr Athian says no one has the right to refuse small notes because the central bank and the national government have not changed the currency.

“These two notes are still legal tenders in South Sudan and therefore we don’t accept any person to reject them,” he stated.

“And we have directed all the security agencies in the state to arrest any person rejecting these two notes.”

Mr. Athian warned that traders who reject the small notes would be sent to court for trial.

Late last year, the national Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank said there was no plan to change the currency.