Sudanese citizens caught between spiralling prices and fixed wages
Sudanese citizens are under pressure as prices soar and wages remain fixed, leaving many unable to cover their living costs.
My wage covers no more than 10 percent of my needs,” said Najwa Abdullah, a tax collector, I don\'t know how to pay for the rest. We cannot pay for our basics, let alone cover costs like our children’s education.”
We cannot pay for our basics, let alone cover costs like our children’s education.”
Sudan’s latest figures show that inflation stood at 43 percent in January, extending last year\'s inflationary trend, Reuters news agency reported. Food prices have soared since South Sudan became independent in 2011, cutting off Sudan\'s access to its vital oil revenue.
Zubeida Abdurrahman, a primary education teacher, warned that many people turned to bribery and other illegal pursuits to make enough money to cover their living costs. The status quo promotes corruption since wages of any civil servants cover less than 20 percent of their needs. How can they cover the rest? Bribery and embezzlement,” she said.
The economy in non-essentials has ground to a halt, retailers say.
Gumaa Adam Muhammad, a clothes trader in Libya Market in Omdurman, the largest city in Khartoum State‚ said: We spend our days sitting in our shops receiving no customers. Citizens only buy foodstuffs like oil, sugar and lentils.”
Sudan\'s economic woes have been compounded as its pound slides in value against the dollar. Since South Sudanese seceded, it has shed half its value, making imported goods like drugs and consumer goods prohibitively expensive for most. Last week the Sudanese Pound exchange rate reached 2.7 per US$ on the black market, setting a new high.
The situation was better last year. Buying power was good and we gained money, but with the dollar appreciation and the consequent increase in prices, our activity has completely been frozen,” said Salma Khalil, a clothes saleswoman, adding that she is now looking for a new job.
People have no money, and instead of meat they buy lentils, broad beans and tomatoes.”
Seddik Issa Jebril who works as a butcher in Khartoum said that a lack of money meant that people were altering their diet. I sell less than 10 kilos of meat (a day). People have no money, and instead of meat they buy lentils, broad beans and tomatoes. When they buy meat, they rarely buy a kilo as before, rather they buy just 250 grammes.”
As the economic climate hits the majority of citizens, dissatisfaction with the status quo is on the rise. We expected the economic condition to be improved in Sudan after the secession of South Sudan since the government always said that Southerners were a burden on Sudan. However, one year after secession unemployment prevails and there is an imbalance between incomes and expenses, with no solution in sight,” said Khadija Ibrahim Hamed, a kindergarten teacher.
Many complained that daily hardship makes them question the point of working to earn wages which fail to cover a basic standard of living. The state, also forced to tighten its belt amid the loss of oil revenue, is unable to link civil servants earnings to inflation, meaning that future rises in hardship, and social tension, are likely.
