Profile| WFP boats in Upper Nile State in 2018. | Photo: UN.

The South Sudan National Boats Union expressed concern over inadequate security along the Nile River, urging the government to establish joint river operation forces to safeguard their lives and goods.

Their call came two days after the two governors of Jonglei and Upper Nile state met in Bor to discuss the matter among others.

According to Puot Koul, the deputy chairman of South Sudan National Boats Union the number of checking points along river Nile from Juba to Malakal from 8 to 84 illegal checkpoints.

Puot says the illegal checkpoints are not asking for money only but also taking materials and goods by force.

He says that has forced them to increase the transport fees from 100,000 to about one million South Sudanese pounds per ton of goods.

“The checkpoints spread across the Nile. We know the old checkpoints, but the new checkpoints are a real problem,” said Puot.

Some of them consist of three people making their checkpoints, people without any clear identity. They are in the form of armed robbery,” he said.

“When the boat reaches those points, they demand payment of the amount of one million and five hundred thousand pounds, fuel, a sack of sugar, a sack of flour, even a Bamboo, and even empty barrels when the boat is returned without goods, otherwise, the boat will not leave the check-point, all of this, in addition to money upon return,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Pout says due to high operations cost from the illegal checkpoints, the transporters are forced to pay between 500,000 to 1000,000 SSP at any checkpoint.

“For the boat to move from Juba to Malakal, the owners of the checkpoints take 32 barrels of fuel without any compensation,” said Puot.

He added, “In addition to the 30 or 32 barrels consumed by the boat. Until the boat arrives, this will cost 62 barrels.”

“This has caused an increase in transportation costs. They will also take around 24 million South Sudanese pounds, and if you don’t have enough patience to deal with them, the amount reaches 30 million,” he said.

However, Puot called on the government to introduce a river joint operation force to tackle the illegal chick-points in cooperation with state governors and County Commissioners.

“River transport needs a joint operations force to defeat all these points. This responsibility should be given to the state governors, and the state governors coordinate with the Commissioners near the river,” he said.

“When any problem occurs, the governor will know, as will the Commissioner. If the joint force is formed, they will be deployed in all the main points, such as Taiyer, Adok el-Bahr, Tonja, Phorm and even Atar,” said Puot.

“There will never be any problem again. When any problem occurs in a certain area, the joint operation force moves by speed boat. Those who have approximately 84 checkpoints must be expelled so that the citizen can live.”

On Sunday the governor of Upper Nile state and the governor of Jonglei state meet on the matter.

According to the Upper Nile State press unit, the two officials agreed to eliminate the illegal check-points

“The meeting resolved to take action on several fronts. Firstly, the participants agreed to eliminate illegal checkpoints along the Nile River that have been impeding the passage of humanitarian aid and goods to Upper Nile State,” stated the statement.