File Photo: Aweil Market

Northern Bahr el Ghazal State market is experiencing a severe shortage of goods and rising prices of essential commodities due to the influx of those who fled fighting in Sudan, the authorities said.

The state Information Minister William Anyuon attributes the shortage to the influx of returnees and refugees into the state.

Anyuon also says that the Sudanese population at the border is purchasing food items and fuel from the state, resulting in high commodity prices.

Another reason for the high prices is the strengthening of US dollars against the pound.

“The high prices that have been raised recently are due to the rise of dollars in the market and we are also experiencing a shortage of goods, the goods that we used to have here in Northern Bahr Al Gazal come from Juba,” said Anyuon.

“The distance and population wise you know very well that Northern Bahr El Ghazal is hosting refugees and a lot of influx of returnees that have come to Northern Bahr El Ghazal even up to now some of them are still coming at the border,” he said.

“We are also having the boarding population of Sudan that are coming here to get some goods especially food items and even fuel so they are taking it from Northern Bahr El Ghazal and that is making things expensive because the demand is very high”.