Short supply of food in Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State, famine looms
Goods such as sugar, cereals, sorghum and maize flour, which are the most used traditional foods, are now rarely seen in most local shops. Beverages like sodas and mineral water are also hard to source.
The limited stocks are pushing prices skyward. A gallon of sorghum has risen from 23 to 47 South Sudanese Pounds (US$ 8-16), while a 50 kilogram sack costs 800 SSP, but it is hard to find on the market.
This looks like the previous famine of 1988.”
A sack of maize or sugar costs 550 SSP. The price of soda or water has recently doubled.
Garang Deng, a local resident in Aweil town, fears Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State will face famine within a few weeks if this situation continues.
This is now a major threat,” he says. This looks like the previous famine of 1988 when NBGS was badly walloped by that deadly historical deprivation which now remains like a history to those who were born during that time and those who weren’t.”
The state government’s leadership confirmed it was aware of the high prices in the market, saying the issue is a priority.
I am aware that everything is expensive or not available in the market as we speak. There is sharp scarcity of goods, but I urge my fellow citizens to remain calm and patient. I hope this economic situation will improve very soon,” says acting Caretaker Governor Salva Chol Ayat.
I hope this economic situation will improve very soon.”
He appealed to the business people to help ease the shortages, citing the example of Ayii Duang Ayii, South Sudan Traders’ Union President, who he says had supplied the state with an undisclosed number of consumable goods.
I today appeal to many sons and daughters of this state to imitate the footsteps of Ayii so that we help our people,” he says.
People trying to get hold of the last supplies at the market in Aweil, May 2015.
President Press Secretary Ateny Wek Ateny, who was on holiday in the state, says that the situation is being dealt with by the government, adding that an economic committee was tasked this week to address the issue.
Of course, the presidency is aware of all these economic challenges because the president himself buys from the same market, the same food, the same goods,” he says. He formed an economic committee yesterday which is going to supply the market with hard currencies [US Dollars] which are causing these hectic economic differences.”
According to Ateny, the economic committee will take a maximum of 10 days to supply every state’s business personnel with the necessary dollars to stock up with more supplies.
South Sudan’s economy depends on neighbouring countries as most consumable goods are imported from Uganda, Kenya and Sudan. But as the South Sudanese Pound slips in value against the dollar, foreign goods become too expensive for many people.
The presidency is aware of all these economic challenges.”
In Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State, in particular, most goods are imported from Sudan. This means the supply hinges on fluctuating bilateral relations and the poor local infrastructure means that the goods can only be delivered in the dry season.
