The Governor of Western Bahr el Ghazel has told northern traders that they will be given citizenship, with equal rights as any other citizen, after independence provided they applied and have a nationality ID, reports JAMES DENG DIMO:
Rizig Zakaria said this as officials held a consultative meeting with the traders to discuss the economic crisis that has hit the state since northern Sudan implemented a silent embargo on Southern Sudan. The meeting comes a week after an attack in the market where one person died. The Governor said the traders will be assured of their security. The meeting discussed how to ease the economic hardships brought about by the embargo.
“If the sanctions continue, I shall call upon all traders operating in Western Bahr el Ghazal State to import goods from other neighboring Countries,” said Zakaria.
The governor said traders should partner with government to find solutions to the sanctions.
Other key dignitaries present in the meeting were the State Governor, Hon. Rizik Zackaria Hussan; Mores Yol Akol the State Minister of Finance and Peter Miskin the Minister of Legal Affairs. Among the officials was Division 5 SPLA commander Andrea Dominic Makol; State Police Commander Abraham Manyuat Peter; Wau County Commissioner Angelo Taba, and State Traders Commerce Chairperson Wol Charles Aleu.
Zakaria said free movement between the north and south would benefit the traders and help build stability in the area.
Traders said the state should reduce taxes.
“With many more road blocks, we pay a lot of money along the way to the State,” said Ahmed Ismail. “We may not recover from our loss if we did not raise the prices.”
The traders said the state should reinforce security to avoid a repetition of the recent attack.
