The chairman of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission says he is deeply concerned that aid agencies are being asked to pay money to deliver aid to people affected by the conflict.

There are more than one million internally displaced people in South Sudan, according to the United Nations.

JMEC chairman Festus Mogae says the humanitarian situation is not being addressed sufficiently to prevent further disaster.

In the opening statement at the JMEC meeting in Juba this morning, Mr Mogae said aid agencies have reported several checkpoints across the country.

For example, there are more than 54 checkpoints between Juba and Bentiu.

He said the average amount of money paid at these checkpoints for each truck delivering aid amounts to about 33,000 pounds.

“At this time of acute humanitarian need, any action that potentially complicates the difficulty of the humanitarian response is undesirable,” Mr Mogae said.

Mr Mogae said the partners to the peace agreement should turn into reality the previous commitments they made to immediately improve humanitarian access.

In a related development, Mr Mogae also said he is concerned at the recent passage of the NGO Bill by the National Legislative Assembly.

The bill, which the president has signed into law, gives powers to the relief and rehabilitation commission to evaluate and audit the programs of NGOs.

Mr Festus says it was passed in the absence of members President Salva Kiir has appointed to the new transitional assembly, and has therefore, been addressed outside the peace agreement.

“I urge the TGoNU, once formed, ensure that there is a process of public consultation in the reform of this law,” he added.