A liter of fuel is now selling at roughly 300 pounds in Gbudwe State due to a shortage caused by poor roads

and insecurity, the state minister of information has said.

This is about 93 percent increase from the normal cost. In Juba, a liter at filling stations costs 22 Pounds.

The state gets fuel supplies from the national capital, Juba, through Yirol State.

There have been reports of attack by various armed groups in the state; and with the onset of rainy season, some major roads linking Gbudwe to neighboring states have become impassable.

“As I am speaking [to you] today, it [price] may reach 6,000 Pounds per 20 liter-[jerry can],” Gibson Bullen Wande told Eye Radio Thursday.

This, Mr Wande said, has affected major activities in running government business.

The state government is communicating with the fuel suppliers to deliver more diesel and petrol.

“If maybe the fuel suppliers, those companies, don’t speed up to get us fuel in good number of drums or litters – whereby it can be stored at least for two or three months,” he stated, “then we are going to be off or the business is going to stop because we only depend on fuel.”

Mr. Bullen says the state was getting fuel from the Democratic Republic of Congo, but this is no longer possible due to insecurity caused by armed groups along the border.

For the past two months, Kapoeta and Lol states have also been complaining about fuel shortage.

Officials from the two states said they were not receiving their regular supply of fuel that is supposed to be allocated to them by Nilepet.

The state oil firm is yet to comment on the matter.